


The Girl from Gascony

by MissWriteress16



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aramis and Porthos would burn down the city if Athos left them alone for too long, Athos has a shitload of cousins, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, One Night Stands, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-30 03:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 74,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8517172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissWriteress16/pseuds/MissWriteress16
Summary: Athos de la Fere comes from a ridiculously wealthy family in Paris, his ex-wife murdered his brother and he drinks like a fish. Charlotte D'Artagnan is a woman born and raised in Gascony, has never been married and doesn't like to drink usually. They are as different as night and day, yet their paths collide at a bar in Paris. Eventually, the two find themselves enjoying one night of fun before going separate ways, not really expecting to cross paths again.Of course, Fate has always been a rather cruel mistress, as an unforeseen consequence tilts their world upside down and forces them together.They aren't alone, though, with Athos's teammates Aramis and Porthos (who are quite possibly insane), Charlotte's older sister Constance who might just be the closest thing to a saint and her rather protective father Alexandre (who Athos is definitely not afraid of), Athos's family who he hasn't been able to completely push out of his life, a few new and old friends and the ever-suffering Treville along for the ride and you've got a recipe for unlikely romances and parenthood, a few explosions here and there and a story of how the things you don't expect might just make your life better.





	1. Only One Night

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the rewrite of Sudden Changes, which somehow became different from how I originally intended it. That's the writing process for you.
> 
> The general idea is the same: Athos and D'Artagnan (Charlotte) have a one-night stand which leaves her pregnant. But the way they get there, as well as the way the story progresses, has changed. 
> 
> The way the pregnancy progresses is one, rather than have the whole story be about the pregnancy I'm going to do a lot of time-skipping a la Mishpokhe (which, if you haven't read it, is a really good NCIS Jibbs fanfic you should check out). Which means they'll be a lot of Athos struggling with a baby (and Aramis and Porthos, because I don't discriminate) and also a lot of cuteness.
> 
> The other thing is the fact that I've decided to keep Alexandre D'Artagnan alive, because few stories do and I like challenging myself. Also Athos has a lot of cousins, whom he's tried to push away but they're rather stubborn, who will gradually make their appearances.
> 
> Anne, Milady, Richelieu, Louis, Flea, Charon...they'll all make appearances at some point (some might even become recurring characters). 
> 
> The chapters at the beginning will probably be long (so I can fit in the time-skips) and after that, they'll vary between lengths. I do hope you enjoy.

The noise of the bar is almost stifling, Athos thought. He stared at his glass, the amber liquid sloshing around before he knocked it back. He set the glass down, breathing out heavily as he felt the buzz take over.

It was a typical routine he had developed since his ex-wife was arrested for murdering his brother, which led to him leaving his position as a police detective; the job had been the only thing keeping him going.

He was in a dark place for a while until a man named Jean Treville (whom he had come to know through his work) approached him and invited him to join his private security and investigations firm Tréville Company (those associated with the company were often called the Musketeers in an attempt at a clever joke; everyone had stopped fighting it and just accepted it).

It was probably one of the best decisions he ever made.

He kept to himself mostly, preferring to drink his sorrows alone rather than drink with a group of friends. The loss of his brother made him hesitant to get close to people.

The exception was Aramis and Porthos, his partners, on account of the fact the two of them absolutely _refused_ to let him sulk alone, and were rather stubborn about it.

He hated it at first, but somehow they’d gotten through his walls and he couldn’t find it in himself to hate them for it.

He moved to get the bartender’s attention, accidentally knocking someone’s glass off. He reacted instinctively, his hand going out to catch it.

“Forgive me, I wasn’t paying attention…” he muttered, looking up with an apologetic look on his face. 

He froze his blue-eyed gaze on the woman before him.

She was fairly young, only in her mid-twenties. Her black hair fell in curls onto her shoulders, her eyes a light brown that seemed almost amber in the lights of the bar.

She was, by all accounts, fairly attractive.

“It’s fine, I probably shouldn’t have put my glass there,” she admitted, smiling softly.

He nodded, putting the glass on the table before waving at the bartender.

“Are you a cop?” The question made him turn his head sharply, causing her to blush. “It’s just, I can see the gun…” she trailed off, sounding rather embarrassed.

“I used to be, now I work in the private sector.” He replied in a sharp tone, turning away as his drink was placed in front of him.

He drank it quickly, feeling the burn in his throat.

“I’m from Lupiac, in Gascony,” he lifted his head to stare at the woman, who was leaning forward on the bar. “I attended university here in Paris, majored in fine arts: I’m actually doing a commission right now, which is why I’m here.”

“Hm…” Athos commented, fighting back a smile.

Most women tended to be turned off by his brisk manner, they would try to flirt with him at first but would grow tired of his moodiness. Some would try harder, but even they eventually gave up.

But those women never resumed conversation after he so abruptly dismissed it, being too intimidated to try.

He had to admit, he was intrigued by this woman who didn’t let his off-putting demeanor scare her.

“I’m Charlotte D’Artagnan,” she introduced herself, holding out her hand with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He took her hand. “Athos, it’s nice to meet you too.” He held her hand for longer than necessary, staring into her eyes. Eventually, he released her hand, coughing slightly as he did so.

The two once again sat in silence, the only noise coming from the people laughing and talking, the sound of clinking glass reaching their ears.

This time, Athos was the one who broke it. “Forgive me Mademoiselle, but would you permit me to buy you a drink?”

She beamed at him with a smile that could light up an entire street. “I would love that, Monsieur.”

He gave her a small grin, raising his hand to catch the bartender’s attention.

* * *

After she received her drink, the two resumed talking. Athos found, despite being raised in a small town on a farm and therefore _very_ different from him, Charlotte D’Artagnan was a woman he enjoyed conversing with.

The women he dated, pre-Anne and after Anne as he had come to refer the two very different stages of his life, were either ones who grew up in the same circles as him—therefore often very shallow—or ones he met through work which were at least a _little_ better, but he hadn’t found anyone he really connected to.

Anne was a different story altogether, she had a very sophisticated air about her yet appeared to be down-to-earth. She was beautiful, intelligent and wasn’t as stuck up as his previous girlfriends. Yet he could never really get a read on her, she hid herself too well.

Had he not been so love-struck, that would have sent up red flags for him. It obviously sent up warnings in his family when he took her to meet them, but he was too stubborn to listen to them.

How he wish he had listened to them…

In any case, Charlotte D’Artagnan was a rather different woman altogether: she was also down-to-earth but in a way different from Anne, more genuine he thought. He could tell just by looking at her she was not lying about who she was, had no _need_ to lie.

She was intelligent, evident from the fact that she graduated with honours and was able to earn a scholarship to a prestigious art school. She also knew about guns, as she recognised the model of his easily, which he learned came from the fact her father had served in the French Army.

“Really?” Athos questioned. “My boss served in the army as well, what arm was your father in?”

“The Armoured Cavalry Arm, um…” She paused, tilting her head in thought. He couldn’t help but find this absolutely _adorable_. “Specifically the 6 th Light Armoured Brigade, with the 1st Spahi Regiment.”

“How interesting,” he drawled, causing her to look at him curiously. “My boss served in that same exact regiment.”

“Huh, maybe they know each other.” D’Artagnan mused. Athos nodded his head absently, leaning in closer. “Maybe they do.”

He knows the drinks are taking effect because he finds himself being far more tactile with D’Artagnan than he normally would be sober. His hand absently brushing her shoulder or leg, sometimes he even stroked her hand or kissed it.

He should be bothered by this, but Charlotte obviously isn’t complaining and she strikes him as the type of woman who would let him know if she didn't like his attentions.

He doesn’t know what it is, but he finds himself absolutely _entranced_ by this woman. Maybe it’s her eyes, the glowing amber hypnotising him when she looks at him. Maybe it’s her laugh, a genuine uplifting sound that makes him grin because of how contagious it is. Maybe it’s the way she tells stories, her hands moving excitedly and her voice filled with excitement.

He listened as she spoke about her life. She had one older sister, Constance, who’s been happily married to her husband for almost two years. She was currently an aspiring fashion designer who resides in Paris and is who Charlotte is staying with.

He, in turn, opens up about _his_ family slightly. He mentions he has cousins, other various relatives that he can never really tell _how_ they’re related exactly. His parents are dead, have been for some time now.

“Do you have siblings?” He froze his drink a few inches from his month. He placed the glass down, turning to look at her.

“I had a brother.” Then he waited, for the inevitable questions: _How did he die? How long ago was it?_

People had a morbid curiosity.

“I’m sorry.” Is what she said instead, reaching out to place her hand on top of his and squeezed. She doesn’t pry, doesn’t question. She can tell it hurts him to think about and therefore leaves it alone.

Perhaps that’s why he leant forward and kissed her, receiving that kind of compassion is irresistible to him.

He can taste the wine on her lips, the taste so intoxicating that he has to stop himself from moaning. Before things go too far—and the two of them end up getting arrested for public indecency—he pulled back, though he kept his hand on her hip.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have…” He trailed off, trying to regain his breath. She shook her head, a wide grin on her face. Her face was flushed red, her eyes sparkling with pleasure and her lips swollen.

She looks like sex, and it’s doing something to him.

“It’s perfectly fine,” she insisted. “Besides, if I hadn’t wanted to you would have felt my palm hit your cheek.” It’s blunt but perfectly says exactly who Charlotte is: a strong woman capable of defending herself.

“Well _Charlotte,_ ” Athos drawled. “Perhaps you would be interested in continuing our conversation in a more… _intimate_ place?” He stared at her patiently, not pushing her but at the same time hoping she would agree.

Admittedly having sex with someone he just met wasn’t Athos’s thing. That wasn’t to say he hadn’t _indulged_ in such an act before, he just preferred to at least know the girl for a while before moving onto that.

His parents had raised a gentleman: while he wasn’t so naïve as to believe that sex was only meant for marriage, he did at least hold it in some regard and unlike others in his social circle, didn’t make a game out of bedding as many women as possible before discarding them.

That being said, there was something about Charlotte that made him desire her. There were a million reasons why he shouldn’t—he’s much older than her and he’s too broken—but at this moment he really doesn’t give a _damn_.

He watched her expression change, sees her thinking. She didn’t drink much, which is why he has no reservations about asking her. If she was completely drunk, he would simply make sure she got a cab and got home safely.

“I think,” she began, staring at him intently. “That sounds suitable.”

Athos gives her a smirk, before throwing down some money for the bartender. He stood, offering her his hand. “Shall we Mademoiselle?”

She takes it. “We shall.”

* * *

Charlotte winced as sunlight shone on her face, groaning out loud as she suddenly felt a headache coming on. She shifted, slowly sitting up only to freeze when the blurriness of her eyes cleared.

She was in a-well, it was a _very_ fancy hotel room. The sheets were Egyptian cotton, or something similar. The room was entirely done in nude colours, a (crystal?) chandelier hanging above the bed.

She turned bright red when she saw what she thought was her underwear hanging from it.

The movement of someone shifting made her turn her head to see Athos lying on his back, his right arm under his pillow while the left rested on his bare stomach.

She probably shouldn’t have, but she couldn’t help admire his naked form. Obviously, the majority of their night was focused on more, ahem, _physical_ pleasures but when they were basking in the afterglow they had conversed.

She had learned he too had done a stint in the army, though a completely different branch than his current boss, before joining the police force and ultimately the private company to whom he was currently employed.

As a result, he was _very_ fit, though not in an overt way. He had a slim build, but with muscles that showed the evidence of a life serving his country, both overseas and now at home.

“It’s considered rude to stare.” The dry remark broke her out of her thoughts, causing her to turn even redder as his eyes slowly opened.

He shifted so he was now on his left side, supporting himself with his arm. His hair was mussed from where she had run her hands through it, which looked _so good_ …

He was staring at her with those damn blue eyes that had made her so hot last night in the bar, the intensity of them burning her.

He moved so his face was above hers, his hand coming up to grasp the back of her neck. Her breath hitched as he leaned in.

“You know, you don’t strike me as the type of woman who indulges in one-night stands that often,” she laughed softly, pushing slightly on his chest. “Do you make those kinds of observations about every woman you sleep with or am I just special?”

He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound in his chest that she felt through her fingers. “I don’t do this often enough to make it a habit.” Charlotte tilted her head. “Oh?”

She had to admit she felt rather pleased when she heard that. Not that she was expecting anything, no she knew this was only a one-night thing: the way he carried himself was of someone who wasn’t ready for a relationship.

Still, it was a nice little thought that she was one of the few women he did this with.

She let out a giggle when he began kissing her neck, which quickly turned into a moan. He pushed her back against the pillows, continuing his ministrations on her neck.

Her phone began ringing, causing him to groan as she moved away from him. “Must you answer it?”

“Yes, because it’s most likely Connie and if I don’t,” she trailed off, grabbing the phone and looking at him with a smirk. “She will find some way to track me down.”

He raised an eyebrow as she got off the bed, grabbing a nearby robe and slipping it on. “Are you sure your sister works in fashion? Sounds like she should be working in intelligence to me.” He remarked dryly.

She just shot him a grin before returning her attention to her sister. “Yes, Connie it’s me.”

A quick glance at the clock told Athos he needed to be at work in less than an hour, so it would appear their interactions had now ceased.

He got up, moving around the room to get dressed. He smirked when he caught Charlotte subtly eying him. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink as she looked away.

He found it endearing that despite everything they had done last night—the list was quite extensive in that regard—she still acted shy around him.

“What? No, Connie, I won’t give you details!” She protested, covering her mouth when she saw Athos shooting her an amused look as he buttoned his shirt.

“Goodbye.” She said, ending the call and turning to see Athos leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face. His shirt was only half-buttoned, giving her a view of the expanse of his chest which caused her to blush.

“I’m late for breakfast with her, so…” She trailed off, grabbing her clothes and moving to enter the bathroom to change. “Charlotte?”

“Yes?” She asked, turning around to see Athos holding her underwear with his mouth tilted up. “I believe you require this.”

She turned even redder, quickly grabbing them while shooting him a glare containing no heat as she ducked into the bathroom.

He released a soft chuckle before moving to finish getting himself ready for work. Charlotte reappeared, dressed in the same blue dress she had worn the previous night with her hair flowing in loose waves.

The two moved to the door, where Charlotte put on her heels and began putting on her coat. Athos stepped forward, helping her put it on and gently removing her hair from the collar.

He stared into her eyes, struck by the fact that—even wearing two-inch heels—she barely came up to his chest. He swallowed, knowing he had to say this before she left.

“Charlotte this was…amazing,” he began. “It was, but it can’t, I’m not in the position to-I mean—“

She stopped him by placing her finger on his lips. “I know.” Her mouth quirked up. “It was good for me too, but I’m not expecting anything.”

Charlotte removed her finger, clearing her throat awkwardly. “I could tell—back at the bar I mean—that _something_ happened to you.”

She shook her head when she saw him about to speak. “I’m not asking you about it, I don’t _want_ to know.” She smiled softly at him.

“But whatever it was, it clearly left a mark on you that hasn’t entirely gone away,” she huffed. “I hope that you heal, I really do, but I recognise it’s going to take a while.”

“You’re not in the position to be in a relationship, which is why I will simply be thankful for this night.” She finished, looking at Athos who was staring at her.

Athos was, well, _impressed_. She was able to pick up on what had been bothering him, yet knew it was something that had caused him pain and so didn’t pry.

He suddenly felt a deep affection for this woman. “Charlotte, if you would permit me?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

Athos coughed. “May I kiss you one last time?”

She blinked, before grinning softly. “I find that agreeable, yes.” She went up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. His hands went to her hips, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

Eventually, they parted with Charlotte’s eyes fluttering open. “That was…” she breathed. “Quite good.”

Athos smirked.

She shot him a look before grabbing her purse. She turned to leave, however, she was stopped by Athos speaking. “Wait, before you go…”

Charlotte turned around to see a card held out for her. She took it, staring at it in confusion. “It’s my business card, with my contact information on it.”

She still looked confused. “I thought you said—“

Athos shook his head. “I meant what I said, I’m not ready for a relationship, but if you or anyone you know is in trouble…” he said, letting the thought trail off.

Charlotte bit her lip, feeling her cheeks heat as she looked down. “Thank you.” She finally said, once again going up on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek softly before moving away.

Charlotte opened the door and walked out, her heels echoing down the hall as Athos just stood there. He shook his head, moving to grab his own coat and exit his hotel room.

Athos idly wondered as he waited for the elevator if he had met her in a different place, before Anne, would he have tried to make a relationship work?

He shook his head as he got on, there was no point in dwelling on the past. He had nothing to offer her, she was a bright young woman with a future ahead of her. She had no need to be saddled with a broken old man like him.

 _It’s unlikely we’ll meet again anyway, Paris is a big city._ He flicked his collar up and exited the elevator, walking through the lobby and stepping out into a chilly morning brought on by the summer thunderstorm last night.

Of course sometimes, what you expect isn’t what you’ll get, life throws you a curveball.

Or Fate just decides to screw with you. That’s probably more accurate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Athos refers to Milady as Anne because that's how he knows her; when she's eventually introduced she'll be Milady to avoid confusion with Anne. Also when she shows up it will be to wreak some kind of havoc.
> 
> 2) Constance is Charlotte's sister in this, the idea came from the fact that some stories make Constance and Anne related, thus I decided why not?
> 
> 3) D'Artagnan is referred to as Charlotte because she's introduced to Athos in a more intimate way than canon or the original of this story: he might address her as D'Artagnan when he meets her again to keep his distance, but that's still up in the air.
> 
> 4) On the subject of Treville and Alexandre knowing each other *grins evilly* What fun would telling you be?
> 
> Update 01/01/17: So I changed Charlotte's career from graphic designer to artist; the reason isn't anything groundbreaking, I simply felt that was a better fit for her. Plus there's no guarantee she doesn't do graphic design work, she graduated from the Paris College of Art where the students often take courses in photography and digital work among other things so it's not too far-stretched. Constance, in case you were curious, attended the International Fashion Academy.


	2. Discoveries, Revelations and Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte finds out she's pregnant and reunites with the man she hasn't seen for over a month.
> 
> Also, Athos is slightly scared for his life. Slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the chapter where Athos and Charlotte have their lives turned upside down. It's a fairly long piece of work, but as I said, I don't want to drag out the pregnancy.
> 
> This chapter basically is Charlotte finding out, her reaction, Athos finding out and his reactions and then them reacting together.
> 
> It's quite a rollercoaster, but I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Also, in case any of you wanted a picture of what fem!D'artagnan looks like, I imagine her being played by Adelaide Kane (Mary, Queen of Scots from Reign and Cora Hale from Teen Wolf). I figure she's a good fit :D

_This couldn’t be happening._

That was the thought running through Charlotte’s head as she stared at the small piece of plastic in her hands, which could single-handedly turn her life upside down.

Two little lines. Positive.

She was _pregnant_.

She tried to make sense of it, convince herself it was a false positive—except it was the _third_ test she had taken.

She groaned, burying her head in her hands as she sat down on the edge of the tub. God, how had her life taken this direction? Pregnant from a one-night stand.

“Charlotte?” Her sister’s voice drifted in from outside, causing her to remove her head from her hands. She sighed, knowing Constance would probably break down the door if she didn’t let her in. “Come in.”

The door opened slowly, revealing her very worried sister. Her vibrant red locks were pulled up in a bun and her blue eyes were filled with concern, two traits she had inherited from their mother.

“So?” She quietly asked. Charlotte just held out the stick, which her sister took. Constance stared at it for a few minutes before placing it off to the side.

Silently she sat down beside her sister, hesitating for a few moments before pulling her into a tight, comforting hug. Charlotte resisted—she was long past the stage of running to her big sister for comfort if her father was unavailable—but eventually buried her nose into her sister’s neck and cried quietly.

“Sh, it’s okay,” She heard her sister say soothingly, stroking her hair as she did so long ago when they had learned their mother had died.

Eventually, she pulled back, her sobs turning to sniffles with her eyes watery and red. Constance looked at her patiently. “What are you going to do?”

She huffed, biting her lip. “I…I’m going to keep it, maybe if this had happened at a different time I wouldn’t have, but,” She trailed off, twisting her hands together in her lap.

“I’m making some decent money, not _great_ money, but enough that I can support us,” She sighed. “Space might be a bit of an issue but if Papa doesn’t disown me I can move in with him—“

Constance cut her off. “Charlotte, Papa won’t disown you, he might be a little _upset_ but it will probably be with the father more than you.”

Charlotte laughed, conceding the point. Constance smiled softly. “Besides you don’t _have_ to move in with Papa, Jacques and I won’t mind having you stay here.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Really Connie?”

Constance huffed, it was no secret her husband had a, well, _rough_ introduction to her father and her sister. Meeting your future in-laws by answering the door in your boxers wasn’t the _greatest_ way to make a first impression.

Despite that, however, Jacques at least got along better with his in-laws than Constance did with hers. He might gripe and moan about it initially, but she knew he wouldn’t mind having Charlotte and the baby stay with them until they were able to get a place on their own.

The only thing Constance was slightly concerned about was Jacques trying to track the father down to threaten him which would only lead to Jacques ending up in the hospital because, according to Charlotte, the father of her baby was ex-army, former police and currently worked in a career that required him to not be easily intimidated.

Speaking of the father…

“Charlotte, are you going to tell the father?” Constance asked, watching as her sister’s expression changed.

“I honestly don’t know,” She looked down. “He wasn’t in the position to be in a _relationship_ for God’s sake, how is he going to handle a baby?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “But he does deserve to know,” She looked intently at her sister. “I’m not expecting anything Connie, he’s…”

“Broken?” Constance offered, surprised by the intensity of the glare her sister gave her. “No.” Charlotte insisted firmly. “No, he’s hurt.”

Constance couldn’t help but smile at her sister’s defence of the man who got her pregnant. Most women would be worried that it meant their sister had fallen in love but Constance knew, that was just who Charlotte _was._

She was the type of person who tried to see the best in people, even if they themselves couldn’t. She saw while Jacques was slightly arrogant—because he was, _so much_ —he genuinely cared for Constance and helped him win the approval of her father.

Some might call her too nice for her own good, but in Constance’s mind that was made her sister who she was.

“He’s hurt Connie,” Charlotte repeated. “And I’m not going to force him into something he doesn’t want.”

“Even it means raising your child alone?” Constance questioned. Charlotte sucked in a deep breath, before giving her sister a weak smile. “Yes, even if it means raising my child alone.”

Constance sighed heavily before standing up. “I’m going to start dinner, are you…?” She trailed off.

“I should probably do it now before I chicken out.” Constance nodded, exiting the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.

Charlotte waited, counting the tiles on the floor in an attempt to stall herself before she stood up. She walked over to where her phone was resting on the counter—having been used as a timer for the tests—and where the card with Athos’s number was lying next to it.

She didn’t know _why_ she brought it in with her, it had literally been collecting dust in her purse for the past few weeks. Maybe it was her mind’s way of telling her she would be using it.

She had thought of him—his piercing blue eyes playing a part in her dreams, as did the rest of him—but she quickly shook the images away every time they came up, knowing that she was dwelling on a dangerous fantasy.

Her cycles had always been irregular so initially, it hadn’t worried her when she didn’t have them, plus her father had ended up in the hospital and she had to temporarily go back to help with the farm…

In any case, she had brushed aside the nausea, the lack of periods and slight pains as simply being stress until Constance had quietly suggested she should take the tests. Thus, here she was.

She picked up the phone, hesitating as she stared at the card in her other hand. Her hand shook as she finally entered the number and held it to her ear.

She breathed in when she heard the dial tone, hoping that maybe he was too busy and therefore wouldn’t pick up.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

She heard a click, and then his familiar refined tone as he spoke. _“This is Athos de la Fere speaking.”_

She opened her mouth, only to find she had somehow lost her voice. She bit her lip, trying to calm her heart racing.

She heard him speak again, this time sounding more annoyed. _“If this is a prank call, I am obligated to inform you that I do have the resources to trace this call—“_

“No, um…” She stammered. “It’s, uh, me,” She paused again, realising it was very likely he wouldn’t remember her voice. “Charlotte D’Artagnan?”

She heard him take in a sharp inhale of breath. When he spoke again, he sounded different, in a way she couldn’t identify. _“Forgive me, Charlotte, how have you been?”_

She bit her lip, smiling even though he couldn’t see it. “I’m doing alright, thank you for asking,” She took a deep breath. “Listen, are you by any chance free for lunch tomorrow? I need to speak with you.”

She heard rustling, the sound of him faintly arguing with someone before he came back on. He sounded worried. _“Charlotte, are you in trouble? If you are, there is no need to wait until tomorrow—“_

“No, no nothing like that,” She insisted, feeling touched that he was concerned about her well-being. “I just…really need to tell you something, in person.”

A pause. _“Very well, I am free tomorrow at one. There’s a restaurant near my work, La Sirene?”_

“Great,” She cleared her throat, typing the address down on her phone as he relayed it to her. “That, uh, works perfectly for me.”

 _“Alright,”_ He paused, the silence awkwardly stretching between them. _“Good night Charlotte_.”

“Good night Athos.” She whispered, listening as the call ended. She pulled the phone away, staring at it.

It was so odd to hear his voice after so many weeks. It was the same, though a bit gruffer, probably from a lack of sleep.

 _Really Charlotte? Analysing his voice?_ A little voice taunted herself.

She huffed, turning to stare at the pregnancy test that was lying on the edge of the tub where Constance had left it. The two little lines mocking her.

Her head snapped around when she heard a knock at the door. “Charlotte, dinner’s ready.”

She walked across the bathroom, opening the door to see Constance staring expectantly at her. “Did you call him?”

“Yes,” Charlotte replied. “We’re having lunch tomorrow at one.”

Constance nodded. “Good, because I scheduled you an appointment with Doctor Dubois at eleven.”

Charlotte just stared, causing her sister to sigh. “So we’ll know for sure you are pregnant, because all three tests could be wrong and this is nothing, and if you are pregnant we can make sure you and my little niece or nephew are doing okay.”

The brunette sucked in a deep breath, fighting the urge to cry as she hugged her sister. “Have I ever mentioned you’re the best?” She muttered.

Constance huffed, smiling slightly at her sister.

“Not recently, and you really should.”

* * *

Athos silently cursed whoever decided to schedule a surprise meeting, which meant he was now at least forty minutes late for his lunch date with Charlotte.

No, it wasn’t a date, it was simply lunch between two people who had sex.

He groaned, blaming Aramis for this train of thought because quite frankly it was probably his fault, with the way the man went on about his _many_ conquests.

His self-proclaimed sexual expertise was probably why he had been able to tell Athos had “got laid” when he came into work slightly ruffled. He and Porthos promptly began trying to get information out of him, which Athos responded to by turning his attention to his paperwork.

He pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind as he entered the restaurant, absently brushing the water drops off his coat.

He politely ignored the maître-de and began scanning the restaurant with the ease of a person used to looking for someone.

His eyes landed on her sitting at a table at the far right, her head down in a menu. He began making his way over to her, quietly approaching until he was standing above her.

He watched as her head rose up, those familiar warm eyes meeting his and her small mouth turning up in a shy smile.

The two stared at each other, the bustling of the restaurant seeming to fade away into background noise.

“Hi.” She greeted after a moment. He tipped his head. “Hello.” He reached out to grasp her hand, bringing it up to kiss her knuckles.

He got a rush of pleasure at seeing her blush and her breath hitch. He quickly let go of her hand, moving into the chair across from her. “Have you ordered anything yet?”

“No, um,” She bit her lip as she once again scanned the menu. “I’m trying to find something that won’t drain me of my savings.” She joked, looking up at him. He frowned.

“You won’t be spending your money anyways, I’m paying.” She shook her head, staring at him confused. “There’s no need—“

“I insist,” He cut her off, giving her a smirk. “Besides, usually the man pays on the first date.”

She snorted. “I think we’ve skipped past the first date.” He cleared his throat, hiding his smile.

The waitress came over to take their drink orders with Charlotte ordering water—and he couldn’t help but notice she was glancing nervously over at him—while he chose tea.

Normally he liked to order wine, even in the middle of the day, but something was telling him that he needed to be sober for whatever conversation they were about to have.

The waitress left, after shooting him a not-so-subtle look that caused Charlotte to raise an eyebrow, and the two were left with their thoughts.

Charlotte ended up breaking the silence with a statement that wasn’t something he expected to hear. “I’m pregnant.”

He froze, eyes moving up from the menu to land on her nervous figure. “I’m sorry?” He questioned, not sure he heard right.

“I’m pregnant,” She repeated, fiddling with her hands in her lap. “I took three tests—all positive—and I had an appointment with my gynaecologist who confirmed I’m around nine weeks.”

He put the menu down, unable to look at it as thoughts buzzed through his head. “You’re—“He stopped, shutting his mouth as he stared at her.

“You’re the father.” She added though he didn’t think it was necessary. She wouldn’t have approached him if he wasn’t.

 _Pregnant_.

She was pregnant with _his_ child. He was going to be a _father_.

He kind of wished he had ordered wine.

“Here you go,” He started as his tea was placed in front of him. He was still lost in his thoughts, absently hearing Charlotte warmly thank the waitress and ask if she could come back as they still needed to make a decision.

 _A decision._ He snapped back to his senses, his gaze meeting Charlotte’s.

“What are you going to do?” He questioned.

He assumed she was going to have the baby since she had no need to seek him out if she wanted to—he swallowed heavily, bile rising in his throat as he pushed those thoughts away.

“I’m keeping it.” She stated her voice firm and steady though he detected some shakiness. “And I’m not expecting anything from you.”

“I—sorry?” He sounded startled to himself, as he stared at her. She looked a lot younger suddenly, paler and he felt an urge to ask her if she was experiencing morning sickness.

“You don’t have to be involved,” She continued, taking a deep breath. “You can walk out of here and I won’t ask you for anything, I’ll never contact you again.”

He moved as if struck, his eyes conveying shock and hurt. “Do you think so little of me that I would simply _abandon_ you?” He asked in a barely audible whisper. “That I would abandon my _child_.”

“Do you believe me to be so broken—“He continued, only to stop when she placed her hand on his.

She shook her head rapidly. “No, that wasn’t what I—“She broke off, feeling tears well up in her eyes and cursing her damn hormones.

She felt him squeeze her hand. “I’m probably not the ideal man for this,” He began, chuckling softly. "But I am not someone who ignores my responsibilities.”

He waited until her tear-stricken eyes met his. “This is not something I planned,” He held onto her hand tightly when he felt her curling in on herself. “But I played a role in this as much as you did so we’re going to get through this _together_.” He finished, putting emphasis on the last word.

She smiled softly, brushing her tears away as she nodded. “Alright.” He shot her a soft grin before releasing her hand.

The waitress came back to take their orders, recommending the Greek lemon chicken soup to Charlotte as it was noted to be perfect for a sensitive stomach.

Charlotte was rather bewildered at _how_ this woman was able to tell she was suffering from nausea but when she received the soup—Athos having ordered a sandwich—she found herself grateful for the recommendation.

“We should probably talk about money.” She put her spoon down, raising an eyebrow at Athos’s serious expression.

“I was under the impression you didn’t talk about money in polite company?” She questioned. He snorted. “I don’t know what impression I gave you Mademoiselle, but I am most definitely _not_ polite.”

He shook his head. “In any case, I shall set aside some money for you and the baby—“

“I…” Charlotte trailed off, her eyes wide. “That really isn’t necessary, I’m happy you want to be involved, but there isn’t really a need for you to give me money…”

Athos shot her an irritated look. “A child is expensive, and I’m not going to let you deal with everything yourself, particularly when I am in a position to help you.”

Charlotte opened her mouth to speak again, only to stop when images appeared in her mind. The expensive hotel room they had stayed in, the fact he had no problem with paying the bill at such an upscale restaurant…

“You’re rich, aren’t you?” She winced at her bluntness. Athos chuckled bitterly. “I suppose you could say that considering my family is a member of the aristocracy and owns a company worth over a billion dollars.”

“That’s, uh,” Charlotte tried, blinking rapidly. “Huh, I didn’t expect that.”

She suddenly thought of something, her face turning a bright red. “I didn’t know.” At his confused expression, she elaborated. “I had no idea of your wealth, I did not approach you in an attempt to get money out of you or your family and—“

She stopped mid-sentence, trying to catch her breath. Athos had an amused expression on his face. “I figured as much, you don’t have a good poker face so I could tell you were genuinely shocked when I told you.”

“Besides,” He continued a soft expression on his face. “You don’t strike me as a gold-digger Charlotte.”

She laughed. “Thank you Monsieur, my sister and father will be so proud of me.” Her phone suddenly beeped, startling her and causing her to check it. A fondly exasperated expression appeared on her face, causing Athos to raise an eyebrow.

Catching his look she explained. “It’s Connie checking up on me, asking how you took the news.”

Athos’s lips twitched. “I see,” He waited as she typed something before putting her phone away. “Out of curiosity, what would she have done if I had not wanted anything to do with the baby?”

An odd expression crossed her face. “Well, I informed her that I wasn’t expecting anything from you so I think she wouldn’t have done anything drastic.”

Athos snorted, trying to ignore the pain in his chest at Charlotte stating she hadn’t expected him to help her. He knew that from what she said, of course, but it still hurt. “She’s your big sister, protecting you is what she does.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Silence penetrated the conversation again as the two finished eating. Athos spoke, his tone soft. “What’s your sister like?”

Charlotte looked at him. “She is going to be my child’s aunt, I would like to know a bit about her.” He explained.

Charlotte smiled softly. “She’s determined, endlessly patient—my father and I like to joke she should be anointed as a saint—fiercely loyal and more than capable of telling you off if you did something she doesn’t like.”

Athos hummed. “She sounds like quite the woman.” Charlotte nodded. “She’s the best sister I could ever have.”

“Do you have any other relatives?” He wondered.

He recalled her only talking about her father and sister, he assumed her mother was dead, but he knew most people weren’t as close with their extended family as he was.

Charlotte shook her head. “Papa was an only child, his parents died before Constance was even born.” She paused, fiddling with her napkin. “As for Mama…”

She sighed. “Mama was very young when she came to France—she grew up in Sicily—she came alone and when asked about her family she refused to talk about them.”

Athos frowned. “You think she ran away.” Charlotte bit her lip. “I don’t know, they might have all died and she came here to make a living because there was nothing left for her in Italy.”

Athos inclined his head. “So you have no other relatives.”

“Technically yes,” At his confused look, she elaborated. “We have no other _blood_ family, but one doesn’t need blood to be a family.”

“Papa is very well respected in Lupiac, so Connie and I grew up with the other people in town as a regular fixture. There’s Madame Martin, Gaston, plus there are my father’s army buddies like Uncle Jean…”

“Uncle Jean?” Athos inquired. Charlotte nodded. “Yes, Captain Jean Treville,” His eyes went wide. “He’s pretty much my father’s brother, he was even named the godfather of me and Connie—“

Athos choked, his eyes turning watery as he began coughing on his tea. Charlotte, eyes wide in worry, moved to begin patting him on his back while using a napkin to wipe the stains up.

Athos was in shock. This was _Treville’s_ goddaughter. He had slept with _Treville’s_ goddaughter, hell he got her _pregnant!_

“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, her voice soft with concern. Athos nodded. “Yes I’m fine, it’s just…”

She looked at him expectantly, causing him to sigh. “Remember when we joked that your father and my boss might have served together.”

“Yes, why…” Her eyes widened as she trailed off. “Uncle Jean is your _boss_?”

He nodded, causing Charlotte to blink in shock. Now that she thought of it, she recalled her father saying that her uncle had started working with the private sector.

She didn’t exactly think that he would end up being the _boss_ of the father of her child but apparently, the universe liked a good joke.

“So it seems I may have to put more money away for you and the baby since Treville will most likely shoot me,” Athos remarked dryly. Charlotte shot him a look. “Don’t be ridiculous, he won’t _shoot_ you.”

She paused. “At least I think he won’t.” Athos snorted. “That is very reassuring.”

Charlotte sighed. “Well, he won’t find out for another four weeks at least.” Athos raised an eyebrow.

“I obviously have to tell my father before him, but this isn’t something you tell someone over the phone, so I’ll have to wait until I’m able to go visit him which won’t be for at least four weeks.”

Charlotte finished her soup. “At least that gives me time to find a place.” Athos looked up from where was removing his credit card from his wallet. “What?” He asked flatly.

Charlotte blinked. “I mentioned I was living with my sister and her husband didn’t I?” She wondered.

“Yes you did,” Athos agreed. “But I don’t understand why that means you need to look for a place.” He stated.

Charlotte sighed. “My sister did say I could stay with her but…” She trailed off, a small smile on her face. “Their apartment is pretty small, with only two bedrooms meaning the baby would have to sleep with me which I don’t mind, but the walls are pretty thin meaning they’d hear the crying.”

She chuckled softly. “Jacques, though I do love him, is rather grumpy so a screaming baby would only make him even more irritable. Plus the apartment is already messy enough with Connie’s fashion stuff and when you add in what a baby needs…” She trailed off.

“I could move back in with my father I suppose—“

“Charlotte—“Athos began, only to be ignored.

“—but Lupiac is a seven hours drive from Paris—“

“Charlotte—“

“—which means I’d have a long commute for any jobs I do—“

“Charlotte—“

“—plus I don’t think you would like driving out so much—“

“Charlotte!” He finally exclaimed, causing her to look up. “There is another way.”

“What?” She questioned, looking confused. Athos took in a deep breath. “You could move in with me.”

Charlotte blinked rapidly, her mouth opening and closing. “I…you want me to move in with you?”

“It’s perfectly reasonable,” Athos pointed out. “You don’t have to stay in a cramped apartment or worry about a seven-hour commute, my house is large enough to be comfortable plus it is also secure and in a safe neighbourhood.”

He reached out to take her hand. “Charlotte, I would like for you to not be stressed during the pregnancy,” He said. “Besides, if after the baby is born you want to move out you may.”

Charlotte bit her lip, thinking it over. If this was another person she would have refused, moving in with a complete stranger would generally be something she’d _never_ consider, particularly since she was carrying a child.

But with Athos, it was different. He wasn’t perfect, she knew that, but she could see he was a genuinely good guy. She really lucked out with her baby’s father.

“Okay.” She agreed. Athos squeezed her hand again before removing it. “It’s getting late, I should probably take you home.”

“I can take a cab—“She stopped upon seeing his look. “Or you could take me home.” She corrected. Athos smirked before asking for the cheque.

After he paid—ignoring Charlotte’s attempts to give him money to tip the waitress—he stood, holding out his arm.

“Shall we Mademoiselle?” Charlotte smiled at the similarity to the night they met.

“We shall.”

* * *

Athos pulled up to the apartment building where Charlotte’s sister and brother-in-law lived, noting it was rather nice considering Constance was just getting started in the fashion business (he had no clue what Jacques did). Charlotte had just gotten out of the car when she was tackled by a flurry of red hair.

Athos, acting on instinct, placed his hand on his gun as he hurried out of his car. He moved towards Charlotte, gun in his hands as he—

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, pointing that thing at my sister and her unborn child?”

He stood there, gun at his side as he was faced with a red-haired woman glaring at him with her hands on her hips. Charlotte had an amused expression on her face as she said, “Athos, this is my sister Constance, Constance this is Athos.”

Athos coughed, holstering his gun before holding out his hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Madame.” He resisted the urge to kiss her hand, noting she might punch him if he tried, and instead shook her hand.

She returned it stiffly, her eyes boring into him. “So, are you dropping off my sister before walking out of your child’s life forever?”

 _“Connie...!”_ Charlotte hissed, her face red as she looked apologetically at him.

He waved her off. “I admire your concern for your sister Madame,” He complimented. “However I have every intention of being involved with my child.”

The red-haired woman blinked, caught off guard. “Is that so?” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you planning to use your child in some way?” Charlotte opened her mouth to argue with her sister, only to be stopped by Athos.

“I assure you, Madame,” He assured her. “That I only have the best intentions for my child, the only thing I want is the chance to be involved in his or her life as long as his or her mother wants me to.”

Constance bit her lip, eying the man in front of her. It would appear, for how much this would change her sister’s life, she at least picked a decent man to father her child.

“So,” She finally said. “I should be expecting you to be a regular visitor then.”

Charlotte winced. “Actually,” She began, causing her sister to look at her confused while Athos suddenly felt a deep sense of foreboding.

“About me staying with you and Jacques…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) So I've decided Charlotte is going to be Charlotte, simply because referring to her as D'Artagnan doesn't feel right for this particular story. I hope that isn't too weird, but it seems odd for Athos (and everyone else) to call her by her last name.
> 
> 2) On the subject of Constance getting her red hair and blue eyes from their mother, there are cases of red-haired Italians, in Sicily and other places, thus why I made their mother from that area.
> 
> 3) Yes, Treville is the D'Artagnan sisters' surrogate uncle and godfather. Athos is in for an interrogation.
> 
> 4) To give you an idea of a timeline, Charlotte and Athos slept together in August. Charlotte is nine weeks (the start of her third month), meaning it's now October.
> 
> I intended to cover some of the pregnancy in this chapter, but I'm already pushing 4000 words. Next chapter will be covering the pregnancy (all six months of it) while the actual birth will be in the fourth chapter.
> 
> I am now off to do extensive amounts of pregnancy research. God help me.


	3. Nine Months of Growing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Charlotte's pregnancy progresses her and Athos deal with the reality of becoming parents, one very overprotective father, an amused godfather/pseudo-uncle and the antics of Aramis and Porthos as well navigating their own changing relationship. Luckily Constance is there to keep the peace, but Jacques is absolutely useless because Treville is present.
> 
> (Also Aramis gets picked on. A lot. He keeps getting threatened and it is _so _not fun)__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: you might want to grab something to eat and drink because this chapter is exactly TWENTY EIGHT pages long.
> 
> Strap in your seatbelts everyone, this is going to be a long ride ;)

The sound of someone vomiting awoke Athos from his sleep. Blinking, he grumbled as he turned on his side, seeing what time it was because surely it was too early in the morning for him to be awoken by—

 _Charlotte_.

His body tensed as he quickly threw off the covers, getting out of bed and running to the bedroom across from his.

It had only been three days since Charlotte had moved in and the two were still going through a very awkward process of trying to adjust to living with someone who was pretty much a stranger.

At Athos’s insistence Charlotte had taken one of the bedrooms across from him, the other one would be used as the eventual nursery. She had her privacy, but was still close enough that he could hear if something was wrong.

She had raised an eyebrow before making a quip about how he was very protective. He didn’t deny it, remembering all the times Aramis and Porthos had accused him of being a mother hen—which was hilarious, because they were _so_ much worse than he was—and simply shot her a look.

He stopped in front of the door connecting the bathroom to Charlotte’s bedroom, worried at the sudden silence he heard.

“Charlotte…?” He asked. “Are you okay?” He winced, because no she isn’t okay you idiot she is currently throwing up her supper.

“I’m fine,” She finally spoke, her voice wavering. “I’m sorry I woke you, you can go—“Her voice cut off, being replaced by the sounds of retching.

He quickly opened the door to see Charlotte on her knees in front of the toilet. He felt his heart clench when she looked up, her expression one of absolute misery.

She went white again and re-directed her gaze to the toilet in front of her. Without hesitation he moved to kneel beside her and hold her hair back as she began vomiting again.

“Whoever decided to call it morning sickness should be shot,” She muttered after she finished, panting heavily. Athos chuckled softly, rubbing her back gently. “I do have a gun, just say the word.”

She laughed, her color slowly going back to normal. He stood up and went to grab a face cloth, wetting it before crouching down beside her and handing it to her.

“Thank you,” Charlotte whispered, wiping her mouth as he helped her to her feet. Athos gave her a soft smile. “It is partially my fault you are puking out your guts, I should at least assist you.”

He led her back to her bed, helping her lay down under the covers. He headed back into the bathroom, leaving Charlotte to try and get comfortable.

She heard banging noises coming from the bathroom, covering her mouth to stop a giggle from escaping when she heard him mutter a few not-so-nice words.

He remerged holding a glass of water which he handed to her. “Here, you should probably keep your fluids up.” He watched her take a long sip before putting it on the nightstand.

“You should also probably get some sleep,” He said softly, staring at her with a gentle expression. She smiled at him, laying her head down.

“You know,” She began softly, feeling sleep starting to take over her. He looked at her curiously. “Out of all the men who could have knocked me up, you’re probably the best.”

Athos snorted. “Oddly enough, it’s one of the nicer things someone has said about me.” She giggled, her eyes fluttering shut as she snuggled into her pillow.

He paused on his way to leave, his hand still on the doorknob, as he turned to see her softly snoring. His mouth tilted up in an almost invisible smile.

He let go of the doorknob, softly shutting the door so as to not disturb her.

* * *

“Aramis, mate, you look like you had some fun.” Porthos noted, a shit-eating grin on his face as he watched Aramis plop down in his chair.

The man’s dark curls were mussed, he was smiling widely and there was a very visible bite mark on his neck. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what _kind_ of fun he had.

“Her name was Chloe, she had red hair and the most gorgeous pair—“Aramis began only to be cut off by Athos slamming a stack of folders down and shooting him a dark look.

“—of eyes.” Aramis finished, smiling innocently.

Athos raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment as he sat down and began handing out the folders. “Gentlemen we do have some work to do.”

Treville Company had two main divisions, Security and Investigations with other departments acting as support.

Athos, Aramis and Porthos, however, were part of the Elite Teams who were specially trained to handle _very_ high-profile cases of security and investigations, often assisting the police or even the government, as they often came from police or army backgrounds (or both, as was the case with Athos, Aramis and Porthos).

They were Alpha Team, also called the Inseparables, considered to be the best of the best.

“Captain,” Aramis greeted as he saw their boss make his way over to them. “How may we humbly assist you?”

The Captain looked annoyed, more than usual anyway—the man liked to say he felt he was in charge of children rather than adults, a sentiment that increased when he dealt with Alpha Team—as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I ran into someone from my past today,” He began. Aramis smirked.

“Are we talking old flame or—“He shut his mouth when he saw the look he was getting. Not even Aramis was _that_ suicidal to keep pushing.

“I know her father from the army, he’s the closest thing I have to a brother,” Out of the corner of his eye he could see Athos tense up slightly, though he had that damn poker face on.

He had been surprised to run into Charlotte D’Artagnan at a café, it having been so long since he saw her. He sent her cards and gifts for her birthday and Christmas, but he rarely had time to visit her due to his long hours and her now living her own life.

He was stunned when he saw she was clearly pregnant. Shock gave way to anger as he gently took her over to a table and began interrogating her. He had been expecting to find out the father was some careless asshole who was leaving her to raise the baby alone.

He hadn’t expected for the father to be the man he considered his second in command.

He vaguely recalled sitting in stunned silence, half-listening as the girl—no, she was a grown woman now—explained that Athos was going to be involved and she was staying with him for the duration of the pregnancy.

“I also found out she was pregnant.” He got a kick out of seeing Athos looking panicked.

“Do you need us to track down the father?” Porthos asked, instantly protective. Treville smiled softly, knowing Porthos would be the one with the strongest reaction to the idea of a young woman possibly being left alone with a baby.

“There’s no need,” He turned to stare intently at Athos, who absently scrubbed a hand down his face.

Aramis looked confused as he followed his gaze. Treville could see the exact moment when he put the pieces together, his eyes widening in confusion and his mouth falling open, making him resemble a guppy.

Porthos’s reaction was a bit more subdued, raising his eyebrows as he eyed Athos.

“Should I be worried about getting a bullet to my knee?” Athos questioned dryly, raising an eyebrow at his boss. Treville snorted.

“Don’t think for a moment I didn’t consider it,” Athos inclined his head in understanding. “But at the same time, Charlotte is a grown woman capable of making her own decisions.”

“I still can’t imagine you’re pleased with me,” Athos argued. Treville raised an eyebrow, wondering why Athos seemed to be pushing for him to yell at him.

It seemed more like something Aramis would do, sometimes he swore the man did the things he did because it amused him to see Treville’s blood pressure rise.

But a horrible thought struck him: that Athos was _expecting_ Treville to blame him for Charlotte’s pregnancy.

“I’m not pleased that my goddaughter is going to be a mother so young,” He saw Athos readying himself. “But as she herself pointed out, she was more than capable of refusing your offer and that it takes two to tango.”

Athos sighed, apparently realizing that Treville wasn’t going to berate him for something that wasn’t completely his fault. “So, this was just your subtle attempt at a shovel talk?”

Treville smirked. “Yes, I’m glad we had this conversation.”

Athos’s mouth twitched as he quickly reverted his gaze to the papers. “I should probably finish this.”

“Yes, you wouldn’t want to miss Charlotte’s cooking,” Treville agreed, smiling.

Athos looked up, his expression becoming softer. “I’d hate to disappoint her.”

Treville cleared his throat, feeling warmth spread in his chest as he turned to head back to his office.

He didn’t know how close their relationship was or even what it had been like when the conception had happened—which he _really_ wasn’t going to dwell on—but he could tell Athos had developed some affection for her.

He shook his head, there was no point dwelling on ‘maybes’ and possibilities. He could only look at the facts: these two people were having a baby and were currently living together.

He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. Athos changing a diaper. Now _that’s_ something he would pay good money to see.

_Maybe Charlotte will take a picture if I ask nicely._

* * *

Aramis would like to point out, for the record, that he wasn’t nervous. He wasn’t at all worried about meeting Treville’s goddaughter, who was also the mother of Athos’s child and had probably heard stories about them—

Alright maybe he was a _little_ nervous.

Aramis breathed a heavy sigh, grumbling something under his breath. “How are you so calm?”

Porthos stood at his side, arms crossed over his chest and his body completely relaxed. He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see why you’re so nervous, you’re acting like you’re meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time,”

He smirked. “Then again, I highly doubt you’ve _ever_ met any of your girlfriend’s parents.”

Aramis felt his mind go blank, the memories of a darker time playing back like a film.

_A red-haired woman crying hysterically…dark accusing eyes glaring at him…_

“Aramis?” Porthos questioned, feeling worried at the trance his brother seemed to be caught in.

Aramis blinked, shaking his head to clear the thoughts away. He grinned widely. “I’m not the type to be brought home, I’m more the romantic hero type who gets used as an act of rebellion.”

Porthos scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re incorrigible.”

Aramis’s grin got wider, if that was possible. “I just love women, my friend, and they love me,”

“If you two are finished discussing Aramis’s reputation,” Athos’s dry voice cut in, causing the two men to turn and see him standing in the doorway. His arms were crossed and his expression was one of resignation. “Perhaps you would like to come in?”

Porthos coughed, hiding his grin as he and Aramis made their way up the stairs. “How’d you know we were coming?”

Athos just raised an eyebrow. “With the way you two were interrogating me? I took an educated guess.” He answered dryly.

Aramis put his hand over his heart as he walked into the entryway. “I am hurt, after all we only wanted to check on you, say hello—“

Athos snorted. “I am sure.” He turned, making his way towards the kitchen with Aramis and Porthos trailing behind.

He came to a halt in the doorway with a look on his face that could only be called a smile. Aramis followed his gaze and found himself staring at the scene before him.

A woman was stirring something on the stove, her dark curls pulled in a loose bun. She appeared to be focused on whatever she was doing.

As if sensing someone was watching her she looked up, a wide smile appearing on her face.

“You must be Aramis and Porthos,” She greeted warmly as she dried her hands off and walked over. Now that Aramis could see her full outline, the bump was rather obvious.

“And you must be Mademoiselle Charlotte,” He stated, grasping her hand and bringing it up to kiss her knuckles.

Porthos rolled his eyes. “Ignore ‘im, he’s nothing but a flirt,” he advised as he shook her hand.

Charlotte laughed softly when she saw Aramis place his hand on his heart and look at Porthos with mock hurt in his eyes. “Oh I am well aware of his tendency to flirt with any woman he meets.” She assured him, winking teasingly at the man in question.

Aramis blinked, turning to glance at a smirking Athos. “I see you’ve talked about me,” He remarked dryly.

“Of course,” Athos replied. “I figured Charlotte should be warned.”

Charlotte smiled warmly. “In any case, dinner is almost done so please take a seat.” Aramis bowed slightly, heading into the dining room where Constance was seated and chatting with Treville.

“Captain,” Aramis greeted with a grin. His grin turned lascivious when his eyes landed on the pretty redhead.

Treville sighed. “This is Charlotte’s sister, my other goddaughter, _Madame_ Constance Bonacieux,” He introduced, emphasising her married status in hopes that would turn Aramis off of flirting with her.

He shouldn’t have worried, really, for Constance was known for her sharp tongue and she didn’t disappoint.

“Allow me to stop you Monsieur,” Constance began firmly, her blue eyes hard. “I have no doubt, by that look in your eyes that you will attempt to charm me with your words.”

Aramis blinked, attempting to deny the claim when she interrupted him. “However I am happily married, so I advise that you save it for someone who it will work on.”

Porthos let out a big booming laugh as Athos brought his hand up to hide his smile, having become familiar with Constance’s sharp wit.

Aramis sighed, his eyes still twinkling as he sat down. “Madame, I do believe this is the start to a beautiful relationship.” Constance raised an eyebrow, an amused smile starting to appear on her face.

“Connie, please tell me you aren’t scaring them,” Charlotte said, her tone amused as she entered carrying a pot with oven mitts. Constance huffed, turning up her nose as if the mere idea offended her though her eyes twinkled with amusement.

Aramis couldn’t help but grin when he saw Athos get up and take the pot and mitts from Charlotte; his grin became wider when he saw Charlotte glaring mockingly and Athos paying no attention as he placed the pot down.

Porthos was also grinning, though he quickly stopped when the lid was removed and a delicious aroma wafted towards his nose. He felt his mouth watering.

“Maybe I should have warned you,” Treville commented dryly as he heaped a big serving of the chicken and Alfredo pasta onto his plate. “Charlotte’s cooking had brought many men to their knees.”

Charlotte flushed a bright red. “I assure you, gentlemen, Uncle Jean tends to exaggerate my cooking skills.” She said as she scooped herself a serving.

Athos shook his head. “Oh no, if anything he should praise it more,” He disagreed, a wide smirk on his face. Charlotte turned redder, a huff escaping her lips.

“Of course _you_ would say that,” She said rather snarkily as she looked at him. “Since the only things you’re used to eating are take-out and wine.”

Watching Athos turn an amusing shade of pink made Aramis instantly like Charlotte, even more so when the two continued to trade sarcastic remarks in a teasing tone.

She was also _wonderful_ at giving them dirt.

“It’s funny, Uncle Jean,” She began after Treville had finished telling a story about how he had to go soothe a wealthy businessman’s ruffled feathers after Aramis was caught sleeping with his wife. “That sounds exactly like what you did.”

Treville had been taking a sip of wine, and nearly choked on it, his face turning bright red. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Oh, I remember that,” Constance added, grinning at a worried Treville. “Her name was Molly, wasn’t it?”

“No, no I think it was Marion…” Charlotte corrected her sister. Athos had to hide his snort in his wine, trying to not show his amusement because he really didn’t want to get stuck with mountains of paperwork.

“Now, Uncle Jean didn’t actually _sleep_ with her,” Charlotte said, causing Aramis to let out a sound that was a cross between a gasp and a giggle. “But he definitely tried to.”

“How do you even know this?” Treville asked tiredly, resigned to his fate. “This was before you were born.”

“Papa told us,” Constance replied. “He was telling us about bad pickup lines boys might use on us.”

“Remind me to kill your father,” Treville remarked dryly as he turned his attention back to his drink.

Aramis and Porthos eagerly listened as Charlotte (with help from Constance) regaled them with the story of how Treville attempted to pick up a woman at a bar by using his military status, only for it to backfire when she didn’t take the bait _and_ her rather jealous boyfriend showed up, leaving Alexandre having to step in to prevent a fight.

Porthos wasn’t as enraptured in the story as Aramis was—who was relishing the potential blackmail opportunities, even though he knew he’d be dead if he tried to use it—and so was able to notice the interactions between Charlotte and Athos.

Now to the casual observer there was nothing really off about their interactions, but the way Athos had his arm around the back of Charlotte’s chair and the soft look he was shooting her as she energetically told the story—that was something Porthos had rarely seen in Athos.

And then there was Charlotte, the way she giggled when Athos made a dry remark and the looks she shot him…

He felt a nudge on his leg and looked away to see Aramis shooting him an expectant look. He gestured with his head, causing Aramis’s wide grin to soften into a gentle smile.

The two of them—subtly, because they knew Athos would give them all his paperwork if they were caught—continued watching the two throughout the dinner and dessert (which happened to be a delectable chocolate cake that proved Charlotte was as good a baker as she was a cook).

“God, it’s been so long since I had a good meal,” Treville groaned as he leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach.

“Please tell me you haven’t _just_ been eating take-out as well,” Charlotte scolded, shooting him a look that made him feel like a naughty child. “Does all former military eat that bad?”

He couldn’t help but recognize the similarity to her mother, who he remembered saying that if she didn’t feed him he would eat his own shoes.

“I’ll do the dishes, no,” Athos said, his tone becoming firm when he saw Charlotte moving to stand up. “You did all the work making the dinner and dessert, _rest_.” He finished, giving her a look that he used on Aramis and Porthos whenever they decided to act up (which was always).

She huffed but the smile she wore told Aramis she didn’t mind. Aramis stood up, volunteering to assist Athos.

“After all, it’s the least I can do to show my gratitude to the wonderful woman who made this meal,” He said winking at Charlotte who laughed.

Athos rolled his eyes, dragging the man into the kitchen. The two quickly found their rhythm with Athos washing while Aramis dried.

“So…” Aramis began, looking up from the dish he was drying. Athos raised an eyebrow. “Charlotte is a wonderful woman, no?”

Athos’s expression softened. “She is quite remarkable.” Aramis chuckled in agreement. “And you seem rather close.”

Athos shut his eyes, leaning forward on the sink. “You are obviously trying to say something so just say it.” He demanded, his voice low.

“You said she is staying for the duration of the pregnancy only, to make it easier, right?” Athos nodded slowly. “You are correct, yes.”

“But it is from my observation,” Aramis continued, his voice becoming softer. “That you would not be opposed to her staying on a more permanent basis.”

Athos groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Aramis—“

“Why is that such a bad idea?” The man questioned. “Why would the idea of being with her, the mother of your child, be so terrifying?”

“Because it means I could hurt her!” Athos hissed in a low voice, not wanting to alert the others. “Because I am cursed to hurt the people I care about, and I don’t want that to happen to her or our child.”

“You can’t—“Aramis paused, eyes wide in disbelief. “You can’t honestly believe that Athos.”

Athos chuckled bitterly, ducking his head down causing strands of his hair to fall in his face. “It’s true though, my choices led to my family being hurt, to _Thomas_ …”

He trailed off, shutting his eyes in an attempt to banish the memories. “She’s better off without me.”

A loud slam made him look up to see Aramis glaring daggers at him. “Do not tell me you are going to leave that woman and your child, because I will punch you so hard—“

“Of course I’m not!” Athos hissed, giving his friend an icy glare. “Is that what I seem to you, a man who abandons his responsibilities because they’re hard?”

“No, of course not,” Aramis replies, the tension in his shoulders releasing. “You are an honorable man who always keeps his promises even if they’re difficult and would cause you pain.”

An almost invisible smile appears on Athos’s face. “I have every intention of supporting her and our child, even when she decides she wants to leave I will still support her.”

Aramis clapped a hand on his shoulder. “And that, my friend, is why you are a better man than you think you are.”

Athos chuckled. “You believe in me far too much.”

“Perhaps you believe in yourself too little,” Aramis countered. Athos sighed, returning his attention back to the dishes.

They finished and Aramis watched, leaning against the counter, as Athos moved to sit beside Charlotte. The man’s mouth turned up in an almost invisible smile when the woman began explaining something, her hands waving rapidly.

Aramis and Porthos shared a look, communicating through their eyes that they hoped Athos might be able to find a second chance at happiness.

* * *

“It’s cold.”

Charlotte said as the cold gel for the ultrasound was applied on her stomach. Athos chuckled. “I’m told that’s normal.”

“Alright…” Doctor Dubois began, slowly moving the wand over her stomach as she kept her eye on the screen. She was an older lady whose hair had turned grey a long time ago and wrinkles had already began forming.

“If you’ll just look over there,” She continued, gesturing at the screen. “You’ll see your baby.”

“Oh,” Charlotte whispered, feeling her eyes tear up and cursing her hormones. She could make out the outline of her child, her little baby.

She heard the soft _thump thump_ of their baby’s heartbeat and she wanted to cry.

She glanced to her right and saw Athos was absolutely still, his eyes locked on the moving image. “It’s…very tiny,” He managed, his voice sounding strained.

The doctor chuckled. “Yes, the baby is only about the size of a lime but it’s very healthy.”

Athos nodded, instinctively reaching over to squeeze Charlotte’s hand. He startled when he felt her squeeze back, meeting her soft gaze with his own.

They were brought out of their trance by a picture being handed to them. The two of them stared, transfixed by their baby.

Athos found himself zoning out, gaze still on the picture, when the doctor began talking. He absently heard the woman stating Charlotte was in good health and briefly redirected his attention to Charlotte when she asked for advice on what paints were safe for her to be using and how she could remain safe in her studio. He didn’t hear the reply.

It was only when they had left the office and were making their way to the car that Athos realized, he still hadn’t let go of Charlotte’s hand.

* * *

“Let me see,” Constance begged, holding out her hand as her sister sat down. Charlotte laughed at her sister’s earnest expression.

“Really, the first time we’ve managed to meet up in a week and you just want the picture? I’m feeling rather neglected.” The brunette joked, causing her sister to smile softly.

“I’m sorry, it’s really good to see you,” Constance assured her sister, hugging the woman gently before pulling back. “Now, may I see the picture?”

Charlotte handed the ultrasound over, a proud smile on her face when her sister squealed softly. “Oh, she looks so small…!”

“She?” Charlotte questioned, raising an eyebrow. Constance shrugged. “Something’s telling me I’m going to have a niece.”

“Last time I checked, it’s usually the mother who guesses the gender,” Charlotte remarked dryly, causing Constance to snort. “You’re having a baby with a man who you met in a bar, the natural order of things don’t apply here.”

Charlotte smacked her sister on the shoulder, causing the woman to laugh. “You girls look like you’re having fun,”

The two sisters froze, slowly turning to see a familiar smiling face. “Care to let your father in on the secret?”

“Papa!” Constance exclaimed, immediately standing up and going to hug her father. The man returned the hug warmly before turning his attention to his youngest daughter.

He looked like someone who had lived a life in service, his hair turning grey and worry lines on his face that told stories. His warm brown eyes, so much like Charlotte, were twinkling with amusement.

“What, no hug for your father?” He questioned, confused when he saw the worried looks being passed between Constance and Charlotte.

Then Charlotte stood, and he understood why they looked concerned; his eyes widened when he saw his daughter’s visible bump and he heard buzzing in his ears.

“Papa?” Charlotte asked in a small voice after a few minutes of silence passed. She suspected her father might take the news of her pregnancy badly but the silence bothered her.

“I need to sit,” He finally spoke, his voice shaking. Constance hurriedly led her father over to a chair, sitting back down with her gaze nervously shifting between her father and sister.

“How did this,” He stopped, shaking his head. “No, I know how this happened, _why_ did this happen?” He demanded, his gaze sharp.

Charlotte winced. “It, it wasn’t planned,” She admitted. “But I’m fine, I can deal with it—“

“What about the father?” Alexandre cut in, trying to hold back his anger. “Is he involved?”

“Charlotte’s staying with him.” Constance blurted out, wincing when she realized that didn’t exactly help as Alexandre turned his gaze on her.

“You’re staying with him?” He questioned, looking back at his youngest. “Charlotte, what do you even know about him—?”

“I know he served in the army,” Charlotte cut in, brown eyes fierce as she stared at her father. She continued firmly. “I know, after dedicating many years to the army, he still continued to serve and protect as a police officer before he joined a private company that allowed him to continue protecting people in a better way.”

She took a deep breath. “It’s the same company that Uncle Jean started,” Seeing her father’s confused look she carried on. “You know Uncle Jean Papa, he’s a good judge of character and this man, the father of my child, is someone he trusts implicitly.”

She smiled softly. “His name is Athos, he is compassionate even though he hides it, he is funny in a non-obvious way, he is an honest man who never deceived me about who he was and most important of all he is an honorable who makes promises he keeps, no matter what.”

She bit her lip nervously when her father didn’t speak. She felt relief when she heard him release a deep sigh. “It sounds like you found a good man Charlotte.”

Charlotte laughed. “I did, I’m rather surprised myself.” Alexandre nodded. “Then I look forward to meeting him.”

Charlotte gaped at her father, who smirked. “Did you really think I wouldn’t want to meet the father of my first grandchild?”

Charlotte laughed nervously. “No, I suppose that makes sense.” After a moment of hesitation she looked over at Constance who instantly held out the ultrasound to her father.

Alexandre took it, staring at for a few minutes. His eyes watered when he finally spoke, his voice croaking. “I’m going to be a grandfather.”

Charlotte giggled, trying to fight back her own tears. “You’re going to spoil them rotten.” She teased.

Alexandre laughed but didn’t deny the statement.

Charlotte left the café feeling slightly dizzy and exhausted, she and her father had made arrangements to have dinner at her—Athos’s, she corrected—house.

Constance would also be attending, as would Jacques since he was actually back in town now, and she decided to invite Treville as well since the more back-up the better.

She let out a loud sigh, silently apologizing to Athos for what he was about to go through because her father could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be.

Hopefully he doesn’t get scared off.

* * *

A small smile formed on Athos’s face as he leaned back against the kitchen counter, watching Charlotte move nervously around the dining room, double-checking all the place settings.

He couldn’t deny he felt a little nervous about meeting Charlotte’s father, considering the circumstances, but it was eased by seeing that Charlotte was probably _far_ more anxious than he was.

“Charlotte,” He finally said, making his way over. Charlotte didn’t seem to hear him, muttering something about forks as she continued adjusting the place setting for her father.

“Charlotte.” He said firmly, reaching out to gently grasp her wrist which made her pause.

She blinked, looking up at him with wide confused eyes. “You have moved that fork five times already, I think it ended up in the right place some time ago.” He remarked dryly.

Charlotte exhaled deeply. “I know, it’s just,” She bit her lip worriedly. “My father can be quite intimidating, and I’m worried that…” She trailed off, looking up at Athos.

Athos, catching on, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are you worried he might scare me off?” He inquired, feeling warmth in his chest when she blushed and looked away from his gaze.

It was silly of her, she mused, but she couldn’t help the fear she felt at the idea that her father might cause Athos to leave. It wasn’t the idea of having to raise her child alone that made her worry though.

Athos was a reserved person who tried his best to hide who he was, a caring person with a strong sense of morality and the struggle that came with such; he always tried to do the right thing even when others wouldn’t.

The idea of her father scaring him off, that she would longer have this _companionship_ with him was what made her nervous about her father meeting him.

“Charlotte,” Athos put his hand under her chin and gently lifted it. “I have been through war, I have interrogated dangerous criminals and I have managed to put with Aramis and Porthos.” That caused Charlotte to giggle, which Athos returned with a smirk.

“I am not a man who is easily scared,” He paused, before continuing to speak in a more serious tone. “And I am not a man who breaks his promises, I said I would support you and our child and I intend to do just that so your father is not going make me leave; I’m staying.”

Charlotte felt her breath catch, because the intense look Athos was shooting her, combined with his words? Reminded her of exactly _what_ led to her ending up in his bed.

 _It’s hormones_ , she thought, _just stupid hormones_.

“Alright,” She admitted, a small smile on her face. “Perhaps I have a tendency to over-worry _just_ a little bit.”

Athos’s mouth twitched slightly as he kissed her softly on the forehead. Charlotte felt her cheeks turn pink, turning away to finish preparing dinner and maybe allow her heartbeat the chance to return to normal.

The doorbell rang and Athos went to go answer the door, he opened it to reveal Constance with a man who she assumed was her husband Jacques.

“Hello, you must be Athos,” Jacques spoke, holding out his hand for Athos to shake. Athos nodded. “And you must be Jacques, it’s nice to meet you.”

The two shook hands before Athos stepped aside to let them in. Jacques glanced around, taking in the house with curious eyes.

“Charlotte is currently in the kitchen, if you would like to see her.” Athos said after Jacques finished his inspection.

A soft grin formed on the man’s face. “I would, yes.”

The three made their way to the kitchen where Charlotte was putting something in the oven. She closed the door and pulled off her mitts before pausing, sensing someone else was in the room, and turned to see the three standing in the doorway.

“Jacques!” She exclaimed happily, making her way over to him and wrapping him into a hug. “It’s been far too long!”

Jacques chuckled as he returned the hug. “I suppose it has been, you look lovely as ever.”

Athos couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his chest as he watched the scene, recognizing it as a sister and brother reuniting after being separated for so long.

Considering the relationship most in-laws had—and, from what he heard, was the relationship Constance had with Jacques’s family—it was rather nice to see Jacques and Charlotte clearly adored each other.

He absently tuned in to Charlotte and Jacques chattering away: how had Shanghai been? How had she been feeling? Did he get her anything?

He was brought out of his eavesdropping by the doorbell ringing away. He waved off Constance, telling her to go sit, before walking slowly to the door.

He stopped, staring at the door for a few moments in an attempt to alleviate the nervousness that had risen in his chest again. He took a deep breath before opening the door.

Treville stood dressed in informal attire, locked in a deep conversation with the man beside him. Athos felt his breath hitch when the man turned to face him.

 _This must be Alexandre D’Artagnan_ , he thought and he knew he was correct with the assessment when the man gave him a slight smile.

From what he had gathered through conversations with the D’Artagnan sisters and the Captain, Constance was said to be similar to her mother while Charlotte took more after her father.

He found himself agreeing with that statement, at least for the most part; it was clear Charlotte had inherited her eyes, her hair (he assumed, since the man’s hair was already turning grey) and her smile from her father. But he could also see Constance had inherited some traits from her father as well.

The mischievous look in Alexandre’s eyes as he shook his hand was something he had seen in Constance’s eyes—Charlotte had a mischievous look in her eyes sometimes as well, but it was different in a way he couldn’t put his finger on—and the way Alexandre seemed to be assessing him was similar to when he and Constance had first interacted, like they were sizing him up.

“You must be Athos.” Not a question, but a statement of fact, he already knew who Athos was.

“Yes,” _I’m the man who got your daughter pregnant_ “It’s nice to meet you.”

Athos stepped aside to let them in, closing the door behind him and leading the two men to the dining room where Jacques and Constance were already seated.

“Captain Treville, sir,” Jacques said as he quickly stood up, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. Constance sighed heavily.

“Jacques,” Treville greeted, shaking his hand with an amused glint in his eyes.

Athos suddenly had the distinct feeling he dodged a bullet by not having Treville’s interrogation skills used on him.

“Papa!” Charlotte greeted as she entered carrying a casserole dish. “You’re early, I wasn’t expecting you for another hour.”

“Yes, well I wanted to be sure I was still able to enjoy your cooking,” Alexandre explained. “And that I would have enough time to get to know Athos here.”

Athos cleared his throat, moving to take the hot dish from Charlotte’s hands in an attempt to take the attention off of him.

Of course, it ended up having the opposite effect because Alexandre’s gaze was now focused on him, his eyebrow raised. Athos sat down to eat, followed by Charlotte and Alexandre.

As dinner progressed the conversation was focused, to Athos’s relief, on Jacques’s trip to Shanghai. Apparently he and Constance worked together, with Constance handling the design side while he dealt with the business side of their fashion business.

“People think the fashion industry is glamorous,” Jacques began, taking a sip of his wine. “Of course, it is if you ignore the competitive nature, the ridiculously long work hours and the egos.”

Athos nodded in agreement. “I’ve had to work with fashion designers, and I think they’re even worse than nobility, if you can believe that. Remember Marion de Marseille?” He directed the last question to Treville.

Said man snorted. “How could I forget her rather loud complaints that Porthos upset her prized Pomeranian when said Pomeranian ended up biting him when he was trying to get it to safety?”

“See Jean?” Alexandre pointed out, gesturing with his glass. “That’s why you should have taken me up on my offer to work on the farm, no crazy women obsessed with their dogs and free boarding and meals.”

Treville raised an eyebrow. “Yes, but I suspect Maria might have gotten tired of putting up with me eventually.”

Alexandre’s expression softened. “She would have never gotten tired of you Jean, you were her brother.”

Charlotte leaned in to whisper in a soft, almost sad voice to Athos. “Maria is my mother.”

Athos looked at her sympathetically, squeezing her hand softly before clearing his throat as he addressed Alexandre. “What was she like? Your wife, I mean.”

Alexandre looked at him, surprised for a brief moment before he began speaking. “She was very beautiful, which is obviously where my daughters get it,” He joked, causing the rest of the group to chuckle.

“I remember her kindness,” Jean brought up, a gentle expression that Athos had rarely see on his face. “It didn’t matter who you were, what your background was she always had open arms and was willing to listen.”

“But for all her kindness,” Charlotte spoke, an amused tilt to her lips. “She was not a woman you wanted angry at you.”

Constance chuckled. “No, any time Charlotte and I made her mad at us we regretted it instantly.”

Athos’s lips twitched into a smile as he held up his glass. “To Maria D’Artagnan, a truly wonderful woman who I wish I could have met.” He spoke.

Alexandre returned the smile. “To Maria,” He stated softly. Treville and Jacques echoed his statement.

“To Mom,” Charlotte and Constance spoke in unison, smiling at each other.

Athos looked at the brunette woman sitting next to him with a soft expression, before quickly redirecting his gaze when he felt a paternal gaze on him.

When dinner was finished and the table was being cleared Athos volunteered to do the dishes, partly because Charlotte needed to relax—and he figured she’d want to catch up with her brother-in-law—and partly so he could escape Alexandre’s interrogation for at least a little while.

Of course things _never_ work out like that for him.

“Athos, allow me to lend you a hand.” Alexandre insisted, slowly pushing his chair out and standing up.

“That is unnecessary,” Athos protested, trying to not reveal his nervousness. “You are a guest—“

“Nonsense,” Alexandre cut in, a mischievous grin on his face. “Two hands are better than one.”

Athos decided that arguing further wouldn’t do him any good, so he simply nodded his head and turned to head into the kitchen.

An awkward silence fell over the two men as they worked, neither quite sure how to converse with each other.

Eventually Alexandre spoke up. “You served in the army, correct?”

Athos nodded, his eyes downcast as he washed a fork and knife. “Yes, I was in for five years.” He looked up to see Alexandre nod as he finished drying a dish and placed it in the drying rack.

“What arm were you in?” Athos glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before turning his gaze back to his task. “The Infantry; specifically the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade.”

Alexandre looked up, eyebrows raised in surprise at the statement.

Any person who served in the military knew that mountain warfare was both very crucial—as mountain ranges often held strategic importance—and easily the most dangerous type of combat since you had to fight not only the enemy, but also Mother Nature herself.

Needless to say, he was rather impressed to learn Athos had served in it.

“It must have been very difficult,” He commented.

Athos inclined his head. “It was, the weather was horrible more often than not and I was often exhausted.”

“So why did you choose it?” Alexandre pressed. Athos chuckled bitterly. “Because I’m someone who likes to punish himself.”

Alexandre stared at him intently, causing Athos to look away and he scrubbed the casserole dish with more force than necessary.

“I was in my first year of law school,” Athos began speaking in a low tone. “A lot of my family were lawyers, the ones who weren’t went into business, so it seemed like what I should do because I didn’t have the mind for business.”

“It was in September, I remember that because the leaves had just started to fall,” He continued, his voice becoming more distant as he spoke. “I was in class—I can’t remember what the topic was—when my professor was called to the door.”

Alexandre didn’t say anything, just listened as the man stared blankly into space and resumed speaking. “She turned to me and I could already tell something bad had happened—the look in her eyes said it all.”

He cleared his throat in an attempt to balance himself. “My parents had been in a car crash—my father had been driving drunk, as usual—and neither had survived.”

He looked up, cold blue eyes emotionless. “After the funeral I dropped out of law school and signed up for the army.”

“You were trying to escape the pain,” Alexandre finally spoke, brown orbs staring intently at Athos.

Athos could definitely see the resemblance to Charlotte now.

“Yes,” He agreed, resuming his task. “I figured, if I joined the most difficult arm, at least the exhaustion would help me forget.”

Alexandre hummed softly as he dried a plate. “You know, I came here expecting to hate you.”

Athos couldn’t help but snort incredulously. “I figured, considering the circumstances I would expect nothing less.”

Alexandre tilted his head in agreement. “Even though Charlotte said you were one of the most honorable men she had ever met I still had my doubts.”

Athos, startled, nearly dropped a glass into the sink. “She said that?” He inquired, trying to hide his slightly high-pitched voice.

Alexandre chuckled. “Yes, I know my daughter well; she thinks very highly of you.”

Athos cleared his throat, turning away so the man wouldn’t see his pinking cheeks. “I think very highly of her too, sir,” He added hurriedly, the soldier in him wanting to show respect.

Alexandre snorted. “Alexandre, please, I got enough of that in the military,” He grinned widely. “Besides, we are going to see more of each other and I would like it to be on friendly terms.”

“In any case,” He continued, his expression becoming soft. “I can see my daughter is right about you; you are a good man, Athos.”

Athos ducked his head. “I’m not sure about that, Alexandre,” He looked up with a serious expression. “But I promise, I will do my best to look after Charlotte and our child.”

Alexandre cleared his throat, sounding slightly wistful as he clapped the man on his shoulder. “I have no doubt you will keep that promise.”

The two men didn’t say anything else, didn’t _need_ to say anything else, they just looked at each other and resumed working.

* * *

“So, are you ready to find out if your little one is a boy or girl?”

Doctor Dubois asked, turning her head to glance at the couple. Charlotte nodded, her hand tightly grasping Athos’s.

“Yes, we’ve been waiting to find out—not that we’ve just been sitting around the house doing nothing, because we haven’t, we’ve kept each other busy—not like that! We’re not, I mean…”

Charlotte trailed off, turning a bright red from her rambling. Athos chuckled, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “What Charlotte means is yes, we’re ready.” He explained dryly, shooting her an amused look that had her glaring at him.

It didn’t have much of an effect as her cheeks were still red.

“Well then,” The doctor began, her tone amused. “Let’s reveal your baby’s gender, shall we?”

The gel still felt weird to Charlotte and she fidgeted slightly when it was applied on her stomach. She looked up at Athos as the wand was placed on her stomach and began moving over it.

“Any preferences?” She asked, curious. Athos shook his head. “As long as you and the baby are healthy, that’s all that matters.”

She laughed softly. “So, what have Aramis and Porthos put their money on?” She inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Athos shook his head. “Porthos thinks it’s a girl while Aramis thinks it’s a boy and has requested we name it Rene,” He remarked dryly, his tone showing exactly what he thought of _that_ request.

“Rene’s a good name,” Charlotte pointed out innocently, trying to hide her amusement at Athos’s expression. “The world does not need another Aramis, one is enough, and if Treville found out I named our son after Aramis he would shoot me.”

“Maybe we should name it Jean then?” Charlotte suggested. Athos got a thoughtful expression on his face, but he didn’t have time to dwell as Doctor Dubois caught his attention.

“Here is your baby, looking perfectly healthy,” She began, gesturing with her hand.

Athos squeezed Charlotte’s again, even though they had their baby’s ultrasound taped on the fridge he was still amazed at the fact that was _his_ child. He was going to be a father.

“And?” Charlotte prompted, sounding rather nervous/excited.

“Congratulations,” Doctor Dubois said with a warm smile. “You’ll be having a daughter.”

Charlotte laughed, trying not to cry. “A daughter, we’re having a daughter Athos,” She said, looking up with him.

Athos chuckled softly. “Yes we are,” He agreed, staring at the picture of their daughter.

A sudden realization hit him and he couldn’t help but let out a loud groan that startled Charlotte and the doctor, who looked at him in shock.

“Is something wrong?” Charlotte asked, worried because while he did say he didn’t care what the gender was she knew men might prefer sons so—

“No, I’m thrilled at having a daughter,” Athos hurried to reassure her. “It’s just…” He trailed off.

“What?” Charlotte asked. He sighed heavily.

“Porthos is going to be gloating about the fact he was right for the rest of the pregnancy.”

* * *

Porthos _didn’t_ , in fact, gloat for the rest of the pregnancy, but that was mostly because Treville threatened to give him extra paperwork if he kept it up and if there was one thing Porthos (and Aramis and Athos and any sane person) hated it was extra paperwork.

Aramis was rather disappointed that he lost, but he jumped back immediately and cheerfully pointed out that Renee was also a beautiful girl’s name.

Athos absolutely did not throw a pencil at him. Absolutely not.

Athos and Charlotte, admittedly, felt a lot less stress now that they knew their baby’s gender. Sure they were both still terrified they would mess up their child, but now they could buy clothes and decorate the nursery more easily.

Unfortunately there was one thing that couldn’t be put off any longer, now that they knew their baby’s gender and it was a lot more difficult than it seemed.

“How about Odette?”

“Isn’t that the name of the character in _Swan Lake_?”

Aramis and Constance looked up to see Charlotte glare at Athos from her spot on the couch, which the man returned with an amused expression.

“Fine, no Odette,” Charlotte said finally, crossing off the name. “How about Blanche?” She asked innocently, grinning when she saw the horrified expression on Athos’s face.

“I’m fairly certain Blanche was the name of a girl Aramis dated once and I would rather my daughter not be named after a woman who obviously had no common sense.”

“Hey!” Aramis protested, pouting as Constance patted his hand in a fake reassuring manner. Athos rolled his eyes before redirecting his attention to Charlotte.

Athos had thought that, now that they knew their baby’s gender, finding a name wouldn’t be difficult. They had thrown around a few suggestions for both genders, narrowing it down would be easy, right?

Apparently everything in Athos’s life had to be difficult.

He was fairly certain he and Charlotte had vetoed not only all of the names they themselves had suggested, but also almost every name in the baby book she had bought.

Anne had been vetoed rather quickly for obvious reasons, as had Adele due to being the name of one of Aramis’s ex-girlfriends who had not only caused _him_ trouble, but also Athos and Porthos as well.

Charlotte had suggested Isabelle, but the way Aramis had quickly paled when he heard the name made them both agree it was a definite _no_.

Clara, Juliette, Laura, Rose and many other names had quickly been turned down. Athos was feeling rather flabbergasted at the fact he could easily come up with a plan to simultaneously take down a criminal and protect their client but was unable to name his _daughter_.

“What about Brigitte?” Charlotte suggested. Athos blinked, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Brigitte…”

Charlotte nodded. “It means exalted one or strong-willed, I read it in a book once and I guess it stuck with me.” She shrugged.

Athos was silent for a few moments before he nodded. “Brigitte, I like it.”

Charlotte cleared her throat, sounding rather nervous. “And for her middle name, I was thinking Marie?”

Athos’s expression softened. “After your mother?” He asked, looking over when he heard Constance inhale sharply. Aramis reached over to rub her back soothingly.

She nodded slowly as Athos walked over to sit beside her, squeezing her hand with a soft smile. “It’s a beautiful name.”

Charlotte released a soft breath of laughter, smiling brightly as she looked down and placed a hand on her belly. “Well then, hello Brigitte Marie, I’m looking forward to meeting you.”

She felt a soft flutter and let out a gasp. “What is it?” Athos demanded, sounding worried as Constance and Aramis stood up quickly.

“The baby, she’s…” She laughed. “She’s kicking.” She finished, tears in her eyes.

Athos’s eyes widened. “Really?” He questioned, putting his hand over hers. A wide grin stretched over his face when he too felt the fluttering of a kick.

“That’s her,” He whispered, sounding completely in awe. “That’s our daughter.”

Charlotte nodded, looking up at him with a bright smile that he returned with a soft one of his own, his hand still over hers.

Aramis couldn’t help but look away, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment.

Athos coughed, slowly removing his hand. “I should probably read that email the Captain sent me.”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes you probably should,” She agreed.

Athos _didn’t_ , however, go to read the Captain’s email, instead he stayed frozen in place until Charlotte cleared her throat pointedly.

“If Uncle Jean sent you the email, I’m assuming it’s important so you should…” Athos cleared his throat awkwardly, standing quickly. “Yes, of course.”

He shot a smirking Aramis a warning look before heading over to his laptop. Aramis trailed after him, most likely to rib him.

Constance watched the two men leave, both bickering with each other, before turning to look at her sister with a raised eyebrow as if to ask _what exactly was that?_

Charlotte flushed a bright red, glaring at her sister with a look that said _it was absolutely nothing so drop it._

While a part of Constance wanted to push, she acquiesced to her sister’s demand and instead asked her what color she wanted to paint the nursery which led to a full-blown debate on whether they should go traditional pink or something different.

Constance hadn’t _completely_ dropped the discussion about the moment between Athos and Charlotte though, the looks that passed between them were not those of two people who were going to platonically raise their daughter.

But it could wait. There was a nursery that needed to be painted and decorated and Constance was determined to fulfill her aunt duties.

* * *

Charlotte opened her eyes, unable to figure out what had woken her so abruptly. She had been peacefully dreaming just a few moments ago, so what—

Her eyes widened when she felt a sharp aching pain. Feeling panic set in, she quickly threw off her covers and headed out of her room, into the hallway where she stood outside Athos’s door.

She hesitated, knowing Athos had stayed late at work and was probably exhausted. She exhaled sharply as the pain came back and she remembered why she wanted to see him.

She opened the door and paused in the doorway upon seeing Athos lying on his stomach, arms stretched out above him and his hair mussed.

She shook her head to regain focus and spoke in a soft whisper. “Athos?” A low grumble sounded from the man but he didn’t move otherwise.

Feeling tears well up in her eyes— the pain was _so_ not helping—she raised her voice to a high pitch. “Athos!”

That did the trick as Athos slowly opened one eye.

Athos was irritated, wondering who the hell was waking him up. His irritation vanished when he caught sight of a teary-eyed Charlotte standing in his doorway rubbing her stomach.

He quickly shot up, both eyes wide open. “What’s wrong?” He asked hurriedly as he turned on his bedside lamp.

“I don’t know, I woke up and there was this sudden pain—“She gasped as the sharp pain returned again.

“I think they’re contractions, but it _can’t_ be contractions, it’s too early!” She exclaimed, sounding terrified.

Athos hurriedly made his way to her side, gripping her hand tightly as he fought back his own panic to remain calm.

“Alright, do you feel like they’re getting stronger?” He questioned, trying to remember the information he had read in those books and on the medical websites.

She shook her head, causing Athos to nod. “Did the pain briefly go away?” She nodded. “Is the pain in your back or more towards the front?”

She bit her lip, clearly trying to think even though she was in pain. “Towards the front.”

Athos released a sigh of relief. “It’s Braxton Hicks contractions, false labour.”

Charlotte looked up at him. “You’re sure?” Athos nodded. “I’m sure.”

Charlotte couldn’t help but let out a tearful laugh. “God, I’m so relieved…” She breathed out, causing Athos to chuckle as he squeezed her hand. “I am as well.”

Charlotte smiled softly, removing her hand and turning to leave only to pause mid-step. Athos stared at her confused until a realization passed over him.

“Charlotte,” He began, clearing his throat with his cheeks having a pink tinge to them. “Do you want to stay here? With me, I mean?”

Charlotte flushed, shaking her head as she turned around. “I…” She turned redder when he took hold of her hand again.

“Charlotte.” Athos stated firmly. “We are both responsible adults—usually,” He amended when she raised an eyebrow. “I think we can handle sharing a bed, and I would prefer you were comfortable rather than tossing and turning all night.”

Charlotte opened her mouth to refuse, but closed it when she saw the serious expression on his face. She nodded and followed him to the bed.

She fidgeted for a while, adjusting her covers as Athos shut off the bedside light plunging the room into darkness.

The two lay in an awkward silence, their bodies stiff with tension as they faced away from each other as if there was an invisible barrier drawn in the middle of the bed.

“Screw it,” Athos muttered, turning around so he was facing Charlotte and gently placing his arm around her so it was resting on her stomach.

She was startled, for a brief moment, but relaxed as warmth and a sense of peace flooded through her. The security she felt, being in this man’s arms, allowed her to drift into a dreamless sleep.

Athos hadn’t realized how much he missed the feeling of someone else sleeping beside him and the soft fluttering kick of his daughter against his hand made him smile softly, feeling a sense of reassurance.

He closed his eyes, hand still protectively resting over Charlotte’s stomach as if to protect both of them from any danger.

The restlessness that usually came with sleep for him never happened, there was only serenity.

* * *

“That’s a good look for you ‘Mis.”

Porthos commented with a grin as Aramis stumbled into the entryway, nearly falling flat on his face due to the large amount of bags he was carrying.

The glare that Porthos received wasn’t very threatening due to the bag that Aramis was holding with his teeth.

Constance and Charlotte stepped through the doorway, Charlotte immediately moving to assist Aramis with his bags.

Constance began putting the bags _she_ was carrying down as Aramis collapsed to the floor after he was relieved of his heavy load. His arms and legs stretched out into a starfish shape as he sighed heavily.

“Remind me why I was the one who had to go shopping with the ladies—not that it wasn’t lovely,” Aramis hurried to say when he caught Constance’s raised eyebrows. “But surely kind, _well-built_ Porthos would have been better?”

“From the way I remember it,” Constance drawled. “You couldn’t wait to go with us, because you were terrified of being stuck in a closed room with Papa, Uncle Jean and Athos.”

“Ah, right.” Aramis turned his head slowly, as if the idea of even lifting his head was unthinkable. “How has setting up the crib gone, by the way?”

Porthos shivered. “Well, on the bright side, I think Athos got over his fear of your father,” He said to Charlotte.

It was certainly a nerve-racking experience, even for someone who had been in war like Porthos, to be stuck with two men who used to getting their way and one man who found the whole thing too damn amusing to stop it.

Add in a woman who they both cared for deeply (even if Athos was still denying it) and there was a reason Porthos had left as soon as the doorbell rang.

The sound of someone shouting from upstairs startled the group, causing them to look upwards in confusion (though Aramis only moved his eyes, still unwilling to move).

“Was that…?” Constance trailed off. Charlotte nodded. “That was Papa.” She winced when another person answered with a shout.

“And that was Athos, I should probably make sure they haven’t decided that the nursery walls should be painted with blood.”

She began walking up the stairs, well waddling really, letting out a tiny giggle when she heard Porthos criticising Aramis (in a teasing manner of course) for being unable to carry a few shopping bags.

She heard Aramis exclaim “A few? That is not a _few_!” and then the sound of someone (probably Aramis) yelping in pain before Charlotte was too far away to hear anything from downstairs.

She stopped in the doorway to the nursery, raising an eyebrow when she saw there was apparently some kind of stand-off going on.

Athos was crouched in front of the crib, a screwdriver in hand as he glared up at her father who had his hands on his hips. Treville stood off to the side, arms crossed as he leaned back and watched with an amused smirk.

“I’m telling you, that’s not how it’s supposed to go,” Alexandre insisted, unaware of his daughter’s presence.

“I think I can build a crib.” Athos stated. Alexandre snorted. “I do have two daughters you know, I’ve done this before.”

“I’m sure cribs were easier to build back then—“

Charlotte cleared her throat loudly, deciding to step in before someone got injured. The two men froze, turning to see her standing with a raised eyebrow.

Both men had a guilty expression on their face. “Charlotte, I wasn’t aware you and Connie had returned.” Alexandre said, his face turning red.

“I can see that, Papa,” Charlotte remarked, an amused smile on her face. “I thought you were helping Athos and Uncle Jean put up a crib.”

Athos got to his feet. “He was, we just had a—” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “—disagreement.”

Charlotte hummed softly. “Well, now that Aramis has returned perhaps he can lend you some assistance?” She suggested.

Treville finally spoke from where he had been watching the exchange with amusement. “I think that would work out just fine.”

Athos sighed, knowing there was no way he would be able to get out of this. “I take no responsibility if Aramis somehow ends up getting tossed out a window.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips and examining the paint job Constance did with an approving eye.

She had decided on a woodland theme, because it wasn’t traditionally girly and she figured they could be flexible with colors.

Constance had been the one to paint the nursery, on account of the fact it wouldn’t exactly be good for Charlotte and Brigitte to stand in the fumes for too long.

The walls were painted in two tones, the top half being olive green while the bottom was moss green. Constance had then painted in brown trees on the walls with little woodland creatures acting out various scenes.

The nursery furniture was made of dark brown wood to match the theme and once she and Constance added the décor they had bought, the room would be complete.

“Alright, I’m going to go help Constance sort through what we bought,” She placed her hands on her hips and stared intently at Athos. “Please refrain from tossing Aramis out any windows, he is free labour after all.”

Athos’s mouth twitched. “As you wish.”

Thankfully Aramis was _not_ tossed out of any windows—though both Athos and Porthos claimed they came close to doing so—and the crib was put up with minimal bloodshed (the only injury being from when Aramis ended up dropping the hammer on Treville’s toe; luckily he was able to beg for mercy by promising to do the man’s paperwork).

“Look at this,” Charlotte said, holding up a grey plush owl in front of her face. “Isn’t it adorable?” She asked, wrinkling her nose.

Athos glanced over his shoulder at her. “It is,” He agreed, leaving out the part where he thought she looked more adorable.

She beamed up at him, turning to place it on one of the swinging branch shelves Constance had made. “There, now it is at the height where it will be most comfortable.” She declared.

Athos raised an eyebrow, speaking in an amused drawl. “It is, is it?”

Charlotte nodded. “Of course, owls generally prefer perching on high branches so they can see everything…” She trailed off, face turning a bright pink when she saw Athos looking at her with an amused expression.

She hit him lightly on the shoulder, causing him to chuckle. “There is no need to be embarrassed, personally I enjoy the fact you know a lot about owls.” He reassured her, smiling softly at her.

Charlotte huffed softly, her mouth turning up in a gentle smile. “I happen to be quite good at trivia games.”

Athos hummed. “Really? I happen to be as well.” Charlotte grinned. “Perhaps we’ll have to play against each other.”

“Perhaps we should.” Athos agreed.

Constance cleared her throat, breaking the two out of their trance. “I finished, do you want to…?”

“Oh!” Charlotte headed over. “Yes, I do,” She said as she took the item from her sister.

“What are you two up to now?” Alexandre asked in an amused tone, raising an eyebrow.

Constance cleared her throat, looking pointedly at her sister. “Well Charlotte wanted to put pictures up in the nursery, but she didn’t want to just hang them on the walls or place them on the shelves.”

Charlotte flushed. “I wanted to do something special that fit with the theme of the nursery.”

Porthos blinked. “Oh, I get it, a family tree?” He asked, gesturing at the tree that had been painted on the wall the crib was pushed against.

Charlotte nodded. “Exactly, so Brigitte can know she’s safe and has people looking out for her.”

She stepped forward. “Here is her father,” She began, placing a picture of Athos that Aramis had managed to take. He was smiling at the camera, which Aramis stated was a miracle because Athos _hated_ having his picture taken.

(What Aramis didn’t know was Athos wasn’t smiling at the camera, but at Charlotte who was standing behind Aramis and laughing at something her sister said)

“Me,” The chosen picture was of herself sitting in a chair on the backyard patio, her hair blowing from the morning breeze. She was also smiling at the person taking the picture, who happened to be Athos.

“Her grandfather,” A picture of Alexandre brushing one of his horses with a soft smile on his face. “And her grandmother.”

The picture had been taken on one of the D’Artagnan family trips to the lake; Maria was sitting on a towel and laughing as her daughters ran through the water, her red hair was pulled up in a loose bun with strands coming loose and her bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

“She’s a very beautiful woman,” Aramis commented softly. Charlotte nodded. “She was,” She agreed softly, reaching up to wipe her eyes and cursing her hormones.

She felt Athos take her hand and squeeze it, she gave him a grateful smile before clearing her throat.

“A picture of her aunt and uncle,” Charlotte continued, putting up a picture of Constance and Jacques on their honeymoon, smiling at the camera as they stood on a dock in the Old Port of Marseille.

“A picture of her other uncles,” She grinned as she put up the picture of Aramis and Porthos, which was of Porthos putting Aramis in a headlock.

Aramis sighed. “Surely, there is a better picture of us?”

Athos smirked. “I’d say that captures your personality rather perfectly.” Aramis mock glared at him while Porthos chuckled.

“And of course, her great uncle.” Charlotte finished, hanging up a picture of Treville who was shaking his head, presumably at something Aramis and/or Porthos had done.

Treville cleared his throat and spoke in a slightly hoarse tone. “I am honored.” Alexandre chuckled, clapping the man on his shoulder. “Twenty years, and you still haven’t realized that you’re part of the family.”

Treville snorted. “Guess I’m stubborn like that,” He remarked dryly, causing Charlotte to laugh as she stepped back.

“It looks great, Charlotte,” Constance complimented. Charlotte nodded absently, a frown on her face. “Yeah…”

“What’s wrong?” Porthos inquired. Charlotte shook her head, biting her lip as she spoke. “I’m not sure, it just feels like something’s missing.”

Athos stared at the tree with narrowed eyes, realizing he also believed something was missing.

A sudden thought struck him and his eyes widened as his heart began to pound. “Excuse me,” He said hurriedly, leaving the room.

Aramis and Porthos exchanged worried looks while Charlotte looked over her shoulder with a concerned expression.

Athos returned, carrying a picture frame in his hands. He took a deep breath before handing it to Charlotte who looked down at it in confusion.

The picture was of a man who looked young and was similar to Athos in appearance, he had his hands in his pocket and was grinning at the camera with careless abandon.

“My brother Thomas,” Athos explained, causing Aramis and Porthos to inhale sharply while Charlotte looked up at him in shock.

Charlotte immediately realized why he gave it to her. “Of course,” She replied softly, turning to walk over to the crib. “He deserves a spot as well.”

She hung up the picture next to Athos, taking a step back and reaching out to take his hand in hers. Athos exhaled, squeezing her hand in return and smiling gratefully at her which she returned with a wink.

“Well, I should go start supper,” Constance began, looking meaningfully at Aramis and Porthos. “I could use some help, if you boys don’t mind.”

Aramis, catching on to what she was trying to do, stroked his mustache with a wide grin on his face. “I am at your service, Madame.”

Constance rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath about “overly dramatic and charming men” as she left with the two other Inseparables trailing behind her.

Alexandre and Treville looked at each other before also taking their leave, leaving Athos and Charlotte alone.

Athos glanced over at Charlotte, and after hesitating for a moment wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side.

Charlotte looked up at him in surprise, as Athos usually only did small gestures of affection, but didn’t comment as she snuggled into him.

“The room is beautiful,” Athos commented softly. Charlotte laughed softly. “I can’t take credit for it, Connie did all the work.”

Athos hummed. “Maybe so, but you were the one who came up with the idea.” He pointed out.  Charlotte inclined her head in agreement.

She glanced at the tree, a gentle smile on her face as she spoke softly. “I’m glad,” At Athos’s curious look she elaborated. “That Brigitte will have a loving family to support her.”

Athos nodded, a wistful expression on his face as if he was remembering something. “Yes, a loving family is one thing everyone should have.”

Charlotte tilted her head to look up at him with worry in her eyes, his tone of voice making her think he was still grieving for his brother.

She grasped his hand tightly, causing him to look down at her in confusion. She brought his hand up and kissed the back of his knuckles softly before letting it go, a soft flush on her cheeks.

Athos was caught off guard for a moment, before a chuckle escaped him and he leaned it to press a soft kiss to her hair that had her giggling.

He bumped his forehead against hers, staring deeply into her eyes. After a few moments he coughed, pulling back. “We should probably go, Aramis being in the kitchen is not a good idea, he tends to get annoying and could very well incite murderous rage.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, the pink in her cheeks slowly vanishing. “What could possibly happen to him when he is surrounded by people?”

Athos smirked. “Porthos could strangle him, the Captain could shoot him and something tells me Constance and Alexandre would not tell a soul.”

Charlotte laughed. “Then we should go stop them.”

“Yes we should.” Athos agreed, holding out his hand which Charlotte took as they headed downstairs, hoping that Aramis hadn’t been murdered and they would all have to go on the run to escape arrest.

He _hadn’t_ , in fact, been murdered but somehow he had ended up on the floor covered in flour while Constance glared angrily at him, shouting various curse words in Italian at him, and Porthos was dying of laughter. Treville and Alexandre had apparently decided not to get involved and were now doing their best to stay out of sight.

It was complete and utter chaos, and yet Charlotte didn’t mind it, watching with a smile as Athos began making quips at Aramis’s expense.

No, she didn’t mind it at all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I apologize immensely for how long this took, obviously I knew this was going to be long but I unfortunately forgot I've never written a chapter longer than ten pages (I think, there might have been an rather obscure Charmed crossover fanfiction that beat it...). 
> 
> Also certain ideas I had for this chapter ended up getting taken out because a) they didn't exactly fit and would increase the chapter length even more, if that was possible and b) I realized they could either be used in their own chapters or as subplots in other chapters so yeah.
> 
> Hopefully you guys enjoyed this and I can assure you that I will likely NEVER write another chapter this long again, seriously I'm quite convinced this nearly killed me.


	4. A Grand Entrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brigitte makes her grand entrance, Aramis and Porthos take on an important role (that Athos hopes he doesn't regret giving them) and Charlotte and Athos explore their feelings.
> 
> Or alternatively: Two grown men acting like children when it comes to a certain part of female anatomy and lots of fluff and squeeing ( _especially _towards the end). Also Jacques accidently throws the Captain under the bus.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for any heart attacks caused by adorableness (not really).

Charlotte’s eyes snapped open and she sat up, breathing heavily as she looked around the darkened bedroom. A quick glance to the side allowed her to see Athos sleeping soundly beside her, hair ruffled and one arm under his pillow.

She frowned, her brow pinched as she tried to remember what had caused her to wake up. She let out a choked gasp as a sudden excruciating pain began in her back and started moving towards her abdomen.

Oh, that’s what it was.

“Athos?” She heard the man grumble, watching as he turned to face her and mutter “what?” in a low gravelly voice. “I’m in labour.”

“That’s great…” He mumbled, before his sleep-deprived brain caught up with his words and he shot up in bed, blinking rapidly.

“You’re in labor now?” He demanded, eyes wide in what she thought was panic. She nodded, breathing out through her nose as the pain increased. “Yes, now move your butt.” She hissed.

Athos quickly schooled his features and got out of bed, moving quickly to grab her hospital bag as she continued breathing in and out slowly.

The next few minutes were a blur as Athos helped her into the car, his hand tightly clutching hers in an attempt to help alleviate her pain. The drive to the hospital was filled with nothing but Charlotte’s gasps of pain and Athos’s attempts to reassure her.

They quickly walked through the hospital doors and in just a few minutes they were being led to the birthing and delivery room.

Charlotte now lay on the birthing bed, propped up as she tried to fight through the labor pains with Athos right next to her.

“Aughhhh!” She screamed as the pain continued, gripping Athos’s hand tightly. “This is your fault, I should have never let you touch me!”

Athos nodded, squeezing her hand. “Yes, I suppose it is my fault and I apologize.” She shot daggers at him with her eyes, sweaty locks of hair falling into her face. “Damn your propriety!” She hissed angrily.

Athos didn’t respond, knowing she was in a lot of pain and (probably) didn’t meant any of what she was saying, and instead gently pushed her hair out of her face.

The midwife, a red-haired woman named Agnes, spoke up. “It’s time to push Mademoiselle D’Artagnan.”

Charlotte looked up at Athos, wide eyes filled with tears. “I can’t.” She whispered, the anger she felt towards him having vanished.

Athos gripped her hand tighter. “Yes you can Charlotte you are so strong, you can do it, I know you can.” He said in an encouraging tone.

Charlotte just nodded shakily, her head falling onto his shoulder as she began breathing raggedly and started to push.

She was aware of nothing but excruciating pain and Athos whispering encouragements in her ear, she screamed as she continued to push wanting nothing more than for the pain to _stop_.

She gathered all of the energy she had, gripping Athos’s hand more tightly she gave one final push and let out a hoarse scream.

She felt the pain subside and then heard the shrill cry of an infant, causing her to burst into tearful laughter.

“Congratulations,” Agnes announced as she held up the tiny infant for them to see. “You now have a daughter.”

Athos couldn’t say anything, for once he felt completely incapable of making any remarks as he gazed upon his daughter for the first time.

His eyes tracked his daughter as she was briefly taken away to be cleaned before being laid in Charlotte’s arms.

“Oh, look at her,” Charlotte breathed as she reached out to gently grasp the baby’s tiny hand. “She’s so beautiful.”

Athos chuckled. “She must take after her mother,” He remarked softly, in awe of the fact that he now had a daughter, that he was now a father.

He had known for months this would be coming but it was something entirely different to see her in person, to be able to touch her. He knew, from the moment he first laid eyes on her and heard her cry that he already loved her.

As he stared at her, so tiny and fragile, he couldn’t help but make a silent promise that he always would protect her no matter what.

That feeling extended to her mother as well, he glanced over at the brunette woman who had given him this wondrous gift and felt a deep stirring of affection in his chest.

“Have you decided on a name?” Agnes asked. They looked at her and nodded. “Brigitte Marie de la Fere,” Charlotte replied, causing Athos to look at her in shock.

They hadn’t talked much about what last name they would give her—it hadn’t really crossed their minds—and Athos assumed it would be D’Artagnan.

To hear Charlotte say his last name so matter of factly made his affection for her grow stronger.

Charlotte caught his look and smiled softly. “She’s your daughter, why shouldn’t she have your name?” She questioned, warm brown eyes sparkling.

Athos swallowed heavily and leaned in to press a kiss to her sweat-streaked hair. “You, Charlotte, are perhaps the most wonderful woman I have ever met.” He whispered.

Charlotte’s cheeks turned a soft pink, combined with her messy curls and bright eyes Athos couldn’t help but think she looked stunning.

The two stared at each other for a moment, emotions and thoughts they couldn’t say passing between them and causing the air around them to thicken.

Eventually Charlotte looked away, gazing down at her daughter with a look of adoration on her face. Athos wrapped an arm around her shoulder, reaching out to run a finger over his daughter’s cheek.

It was amazing, Athos thought absently, how your entire world could shift in one single moment.

* * *

“Oh,” Constance whispered as she walked in the room, stopping in the middle of the room with Jacques following her in quietly.

“Are you going to stand there, Madame Bonacieux, or are you going to come and meet your niece?” Athos remarked dryly, smirking at the redhead from his spot beside Charlotte’s bed.

Constance shot him a glare that had no heat behind it. “If it wasn’t for the fact my sister just had your baby I would hit you.”

Athos raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.

Constance made her way over to her sister, her eyes wide in wonder as she laid eyes on her niece for the first time. “May I?” She asked quietly, at her sister’s nod she carefully took the baby in her arms.

She stared down at the little person her sister and Athos made, absolutely frozen in place. She swallowed heavily, letting out a sharp burst of laughter as love swirled in her chest.

“Hello Brigitte,” She finally spoke, a smile forming on her lips. “I’m your Auntie Constance, most likely I’ll be the one you go to if you don’t want to tell your parents something.”

“That’s what I’ve always wanted to hear,” Athos remarked dryly as Charlotte snorted. “I find that funny, considering when we were little _you_ were always the serious one.”

Constance mock-glared at her sister. “ _Someone_ had to be, and given how often you got into trouble it wasn’t going to be you.”

Charlotte huffed, playfully squinting her eyes at her sister who returned the gesture. Athos rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide his cough of amusement at the teasing between the sisters.

Jacques, who had mostly stayed silent and watched the whole exchange with amusement, stepped forward and smiled softly at Brigitte. “And should you ever to wish to escape the ridiculousness of your aunt and mother, my office will always be open.”

Constance looked up to glare mockingly at her husband. “You and I share an office, monsieur, and it happens to be our _bedroom_.”

Jacques raised an eyebrow. “I’m talking about the near future, when we will undoubtedly have separate offices.”

“Are you implying that you no longer wish to share a space with me?”

“I’m saying that your fabric takes up far too much space—“

“Need I remind you, that fabric is fairly important to your business—“A loud pointed cough made Constance pause mid-sentence, turning she flushed when she saw Aramis and Porthos standing in the doorway.

Porthos had his arms over his chest, eyebrows raised in amusement, while Aramis had a mischievous grin on his face.

“Are you perhaps having marital issues?” Aramis inquired. “If that is the case, I am _more_ than willing to provide you comfort Madame.”

Jacques rolled his eyes, having become used to the man flirting with his wife. “Hitting on my wife in front of her newborn niece, that’s a new one for you,” He dryly remarked.

Aramis just tipped his imaginary hat to him. “I strive to surprise you, Monsieur,” He stated cheerfully.

His grin softened to a smile when his gaze landed on Brigitte, her big blue eyes staring at him. He swallowed heavily, hesitantly holding out his arms. “May I?”

Constance looked over her shoulder at Charlotte, who nodded her head in permission. “I would hope my daughter’s godfather can be trusted to hold her.” Athos remarked, though his eyes had a softness to them.

Aramis’s head snapped up so fast it’s a miracle he didn’t get whiplash.

“Godfather?” He whispered, shocked. “Me? I—“He closed his mouth, feeling choked up with emotion.

Charlotte laughed softly, a warm smile on her face. “You and Porthos, if you want the job,” She explained, turning to look at the big man who had a stunned expression on his face.

Porthos blinked rapidly. “I don’t—“He glanced at Athos, feeling a lump forming in his throat. “Course I’ll ‘cept it.” He finally responded, ignoring the tears welling up in his eyes.

“As will I,” Aramis quickly followed, not wanting to be shown up.

Charlotte’s eyes sparkled in amusement, looking at her sister with a soft expression. “And we would like you to be her godmother, Connie.”

Constance blinked back tears. “Of course,” She replied softly, moving to hug her sister. “I’m honored.”

She pulled back, wiping away her tears quickly. “After all,” She sniffed. “Someone has to keep those two in check.”

Laughter filled the room as Aramis grinned at her. “I guess this means, Madame, we’ll be spending a little bit _more_ time together.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, causing her to shoot him an unimpressed look.

Still grinning, he redirected his attention to Brigitte who was still watching him, her arms flung out.

“Hello _mi pequeña belleza,_ ” He cooed softly, his grin softening to a smile. “You’re going to be a heartbreaker when you grow up, your _padre_ will have so much grey hair trying to keep the _chicos_ away from you.”

“Thank you very much for that,” Athos commented dryly, really not needing the reminder that in around fifteen years he would have to start running background checks on any boys that came into contact with his daughter.

It would probably be best if he didn’t mention that plan to Charlotte…

“Lemme see her,” Porthos stated in a low gruff voice. Charlotte couldn’t help but find it adorable that such an imposing man could turn to mush the instant you put a baby in his arms.

“You really are gorgeous, aren’t you?” He remarked to Brigitte. “Don’t worry, your uncles will help your father scare off the boys.”

Constance rolled her eyes. “Really?” She asked.

Jacques snorted. “Considering your Uncle Jean helped your father scare off your dates, it shouldn’t surprise me that the men he helped train would do the same…”

He trailed off when he saw both Constance and Charlotte staring at him in confusion.

“What do you _mean_ Uncle Jean helped Papa scare off our dates?” Charlotte asked, her voice having a warning tone to it that had Athos looking _slightly_ concerned.

“Uh…” Luckily Jacques was saved by Brigitte deciding to show off how strong her lungs are with a piercing cry.

“I think she needs her mother,” Porthos guessed as he handed the wailing infant back to her mother. His face blanched when he saw Charlotte beginning to move her top out of the way.

“You know what, I still need to buy a gift so…” Aramis trailed off as he left the room as if it was on fire. Porthos followed, muttering something about checking his emails.

Constance rolled her eyes, saying something about men which had her husband taking offense and leading to the two bickering as they left.

Athos rolled his eyes. “It’s nice to see Aramis live up to his reputation,” He remarked sarcastically, casually crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall to watch Charlotte breastfeed their daughter with a soft expression on his face.

“You’re awfully nonchalant about this,” Charlotte observed, her gaze on her daughter.

“It’s simply a natural part of life,” Athos pointed out. “Besides,” He smirked. “It’s not as if I haven’t seen it before.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened and her cheeks flushed before she glared at him. “Athos!” She scolded. “Not in front of Brigitte.”

Athos raised an eyebrow, an amused expression on his face. “Forgive me, it’s not as if Brigitte is a newborn with no idea of what’s going on around her.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes, though she had a soft smile on her face as she looked down to see her daughter’s mouth let go.

Athos moved to sit beside her as she re-covered herself, gently taking Brigitte into his arms. He stared at her in quiet awe, gently stroking the palm of her hand with his finger. She squirmed, closing her hand around it.

“I can’t believe how tiny she is,” Charlotte commented as she stroked the bottom of Brigitte’s foot causing her to instinctively curl her toes inward.

Athos hummed softly. “It’s almost nerve-racking, knowing that she trusts you implicitly to look after her and that you could easily fail to do so.”

Charlotte glanced up, brown eyes soft with understanding. “You won’t fail.”

She watched Athos snort and shook her head. “I mean it,” She insisted, causing him to look at her. “You are a good man.”

Athos shook his head, causing her to let out an irritated huff of breath. “How do you not see it?” She demanded, her brown eyes glowing amber as she stared at him.

“Few men would go to the lengths you have gone to; you were there for the pregnancy, you supported me and helped me and now you sit beside me holding our newborn daughter with so much love in your eyes…” Charlotte took a deep breath, leaving Athos to sit there absolutely speechless.

“You are one of the most honorable man I have ever met,” She continued in a softer tone. “There is no doubt in my mind that you will be a good father.”

The two of them stared into each other’s eyes, emotions passing between them. Athos cleared his throat, speaking in a hoarse voice. “Charlotte may I—?”

“Yes,” Charlotte cut in, feeling her face heat when she saw his gaze become slightly hotter. He leaned in to softly press his lips to hers.

A million different thoughts flew through Charlotte’s head as the kiss continued: _you’re insane, you shouldn’t be doing this you’re not even in a relationship with him._

Charlotte paid those thoughts little mind, they had a child together it’s safe to say their relationship was a bit more intimate than two strangers.

 _Besides_ _he’s a_ wonderful _kisser_

“Uncle Jean, what’s this I hear about you scaring off our dates?”

The loud question made the two pull back, glancing towards the hallway in confusion. Athos chuckled softly when he heard Treville stumble over his next words, it was rather amusing to hear the man being easily tripped up by his goddaughter of all people.

“I should probably go rescue the Captain,” He remarked wryly as he passed his daughter back to her mother.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her face still flushed from the kiss. “Uncle Jean served in the army, he isn’t easily frightened.”

Athos’s lips twitched. “Perhaps he isn’t, but to be quite frank your sister could make a nun beg for mercy.”

Charlotte laughed, stopping when Athos pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back soon,” He promised softly, running a finger over Brigitte’s cheek before straightening and heading out to keep Constance from getting kicked out by the hospital staff for disturbing the peace.

Charlotte stood there with her cheeks a bright red. She released a heavy sigh, gazing down at her squirming daughter with a fond look.

“Oh _mia cara_ , I am so screwed.” She murmured as she reached out to kiss her daughter’s fingers. A soft smile formed on her lips when she looked to see Athos attempting to calm her sister down.

 _But,_ she thinks, _I don’t really give a damn._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to cut out parts of this chapter because otherwise it would go over ten pages and I am _never _doing that again.__
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _On the bright side I added a bit more Charlotte-Athos fluff so _hopefully _you enjoyed that?___  
> 


	5. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Athos have been living together for over ten months now and the feelings they've developed for one another are harder to deny yet both are still terrified.
> 
> Luckily they have a few meddling friends willing to lend a hand.

“Look Brigitte, it’s an owl,” Charlotte explained, holding up the small stuffed toy in front of her face. She gently shook it back and forth, hoping to get a reaction from her daughter but she simply stared at it.

She lowered the toy so it was resting by her side and reached out to rest her palm on her daughter’s stomach.

“What are you thinking _mia cara_?” she asked in a low murmur as she began stroking Brigitte’s stomach. She tilted her head to the side, a soft smile forming on her lips.

“You look deep in thought,” Athos remarked as he walked into the living room, his mouth tilted up slightly.

Charlotte looked across at him, her smile becoming brighter. “Aren’t you curious about what Brigitte is thinking?” she asked as he sat down beside her.

Athos hummed as he softly stroked his daughter’s fingers. “She will eventually make her thoughts known, loudly I assume.”

He smirked at her. “Therefore, I am more than happy to let her keep her silence.”

Charlotte laughed softly, she glanced up at Athos’s face and saw the love in his eyes as he looked at his daughter.

A part of her wondered if he ever looked at her like that; she shook her head to remove the ridiculous thought. “You’re probably excited,” She began, feeling her cheeks turn pink when he looked at her. “You’re going back to work next Monday, you’ll finally get out of the house.”

Athos cleared his throat. “I admit, I am somewhat looking forward to being back,” he paused, staring at her intently with his cheeks heating up. “But at the same time, I’ll miss being around two beautiful women all day.”

Charlotte blinked rapidly, her cheeks turning redder. “I thought Aramis was the flirt?” she questioned teasingly before her breath caught when he grasped her hand, lifting it to his mouth and placing a gentle kiss on the inside of her wrist.

He allowed his gaze to meet hers, blue eyes staring intently at her. She swallowed heavily, watching as he dropped her hand, averting his gaze away from her and looking back at his daughter.

Feeling a sudden burst of courage, she reached up and gently touched his cheek causing him to quickly jerk his head up to look at her. The two stared at each other, their eyes conveying the emotions they couldn’t yet voice.

Charlotte pushed herself up on her knees so there was little distance between her and Athos’s faces, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders.

Athos moved his hands to rest on her waist, his gaze flicking down to her lips before flicking back up to her eyes, asking for permission.

Charlotte leaned forward, brushing her lips against his; he tightened his grip slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

Her hands moved from his shoulders to his chest, allowing her to feel his muscles; he really was a _wonderful_ kisser and they were lost in each other.

The sound of Brigitte cooing something made her pull back, causing to Athos to mutter something incoherently though his lips were twitching.

She smiled shyly, turning her head to see her daughter waving her fists angrily at her; she laughed, reaching down to pick her up.

“Hello Mademoiselle, what do you want?” she inquired softly, gently stroking her daughter’s hand.

She began humming softly, a tune she recalled her mother singing to her when she was restless. Athos watched her, a soft smile forming on his lips.

The doorbell ringing pulled him out of his inner thoughts, causing him to look over his shoulder with a frown.

“Are you expecting someone?” Charlotte inquired, looking over at him as she carefully adjusted Brigitte.

“No,” Athos replied; Aramis and Porthos were working a security detail and Treville was in meetings all day. “Are you?”

Charlotte shook her head. “No.” His frown deepened as he stood up, heading over to answer the door.

He didn’t expect to see a familiar blonde woman standing on his doorstep carrying two large gift bags. “Flea, what are you doing here?”

Flea’s head poked out from between the bags, letting out a puff of breath. “Are you going to just stand there or be a gentleman and help me?”

Athos shook his head, taking one of the bags from her and stepping aside to let her in; Flea flashed a grin at him as she entered, pausing when her eyes landed on Charlotte who was staring at her with a rather perplexed expression.

“Hello,” Charlotte greeted, smiling warmly at the woman even as her eyebrow went up. “Who are you?”

“Charlotte this is Flea, she’s head of our Tech division and grew up with Porthos,” Athos explained. “Flea this is—“

“I know who she is,” Flea cut in, smirking slightly as she turned her head. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Charlotte replied, grasping Brigitte’s hand gently as the girl stared at the stranger in confusion.

Flea’s expression shifted. “This must be Brigitte,” she stated, a warm smile appearing on her face.

Athos coughed. “Yes, this is my daughter,” he said, the pride clear in his tone.

“Hello Brigitte,” Flea greeted softly, waving; Brigitte just cooed.

“Flea, what is all this?” Athos inquired, staring at the two bags lying on the floor.

Flea blinked. “Oh, that?” she pointed at the bags. “It’s from everyone at the office, sorry it’s so late but we didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

Athos gaped at her. “Why is there two bags worth?” he felt a headache coming on.

Flea waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, this is just stuff for the baby your things are still coming.”

“Flea, what do you mean by _my_ things—?” he didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as the doorbell rang again.

Flea’s mouth turned up in a grin. “There it is now!” she bounced over to the door.

Athos released a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose; sometimes he wondered why he even talked to Flea.

“She seems interesting,” Charlotte’s soft voice caused Athos to turn his head, seeing her standing beside him with a gentle smile.

Athos’s mouth twitched. “She can be a pain at times, which is probably why she gets along with Aramis and Porthos so well, but she’s a genius with computers and very essential to the agency.”

He didn’t add that if it wasn’t for Flea he’d probably have broken his computer a few times: technology wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

Charlotte laughed, her eyes twinkling. “You care for her though,” she stated. “You act like she annoys you, but you also act the same with Aramis and Porthos and I know you’d jump in front of a bullet for them.”

Athos cleared his throat, feeling rather embarrassed, yet pleased that Charlotte could read him so easily. He brought his hand up to brush a strand of hair out of her face, causing her to flush a soft pink as she smiled gently.

A loud, pointed cough startled them, turning their heads they saw Flea standing with another blonde woman; Flea had a big smirk on her face while the other woman looked embarrassed.

“Let me guess, Flea dragged you along?” He inquired. The blonde nodded, letting out a huff of breath as she placed her bag down on the entryway table.

“I was unlucky enough to be in the vicinity,” She remarked dryly. “But I figured someone should keep her in line.” She pointedly ignored Flea’s glare.

Athos let out a low chuckle. “Charlotte, may I introduce Anne D’Autriche, a survivor of the aristocracy like myself and our public relations representative.” He stated, gesturing to the woman.

“Essentially her job is to make us look good,” He continued. “Which is rather difficult considering the antics Aramis and Porthos can get up to.”

Anne raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t entirely innocent Agent de la Fere, in fact, there are several incidents I can think of where Aramis and Porthos had to restrain _you_.”

Athos flushed embarrassingly, causing Charlotte to giggle. “I would _love_ to hear about such incidents,” Charlotte stated, smiling innocently when Athos glared at her.

Flea smirked. “Athos has probably told you he’s the sane one, but he gets into just as many crazy antics as Aramis and Porthos.”

Athos sighed, resigned to his fate. “If you’re going to give Charlotte every single blackmail material you have on me then I need coffee.”

* * *

Athos couldn’t help but smile as he watched the three women converse; Charlotte let out a soft giggle at something Flea said, her eyes bright with laughter.

Truthfully, he didn’t mind the two women bonding with Charlotte, though he might regret that decision later, since it meant Charlotte had someone else to talk to other than her sister who led her own life.

He knew Charlotte loved Brigitte but at the same time he knew becoming a mother so young had affected her social life.

It wasn’t like she was cooped up in the house, but it was more that she had found herself becoming more distant from her friends.

Her friends were out partying and living the life of carefree twenty-something year olds and Charlotte just found she didn’t want that, she preferred to relax quietly with her daughter or catch up on her work.

He frowned, wondering if it might be easier for Charlotte if she wasn’t living with him, after all, living with a man surely made it harder for her friends to invite her if they were looking to find someone—

“You’ve gone all moody again,” Athos blinked, breaking out of his thoughts and turning to see Flea standing beside him with a smirk.

“Have you succeeded in telling her about every single embarrassing incident that has ever happened to me?” he inquired dryly.

Flea grinned as she moved to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Not yet, though I do believe Anne’s currently informing her about the incident with the stray cat.”

Athos let out a sigh, he would never live _that_ down. His mouth twitched up, however, when he saw Charlotte’s eyes light up in amusement.

“So, when are you going to tell her?” Athos looked at Flea who was staring at him intently. “Tell her what?” he asked, playing dumb.

Flea wasn’t buying it. “Athos, you’ve never looked at _any_ woman like that.” she pointed out.

“She’s the mother of my child, of course, I’d look at her differently.” he argued weakly, glancing down at Brigitte who was staring up at him.

He heard Flea snort. “I could buy that,” she smirked. “But you don’t look at her as if she was _just_ the mother of your child, you look at her if she’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Her smirk softened to a smile when she saw Athos look away. “Athos, you _deserve_ to be happy why can’t you let yourself be happy?” she questioned softly.

Athos looked at her, the expression on his face making her feel a pang in her heart. “What about her?” He asked quietly. “What if she isn’t happy, being here or what if she doesn’t want to be with me?”

Flea made a sympathetic sound, placing a hand on his shoulder as her lips curved up in a gentle smile. “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Athos looked at her expectantly as she smiled wider.

“She feels the same way as you,” Athos’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to protest. “No, listen to me,” Flea argued softly, causing Athos to scowl at her; he did as she asked though.

“I’ve only known her for maybe a few minutes, but she’s pretty easy to read, easier than you anyways,” she grinned when she saw him roll his eyes. “And in just those few minutes I can see that there’s no where else she’d rather be than here, with you.”

Her expression softened. “She cares for you Athos, and it terrifies her because by telling you she runs the risk of losing you.”

She watched as Athos opened his mouth and close it, glancing down at his daughter who waved her arms up at him.

His lips twitched up into a smile as he grasped one of her hands and brought it to his lips to kiss. “It’s terrifying,” he admitted quietly.

“Love is meant to be scary,” Flea pointed out gently. “Because when we care so deeply and so passionately? It’s how we know it’s real.”

Athos sighed heavily, staring down at his daughter with a soft look in his eyes. “Do you think I can? Move on I mean?”

The vulnerable look in Athos’s eyes, something Flea knew so few people saw, made her reach out to squeeze his arm gently. “I know you can.”

Athos smiled gently. “Thank you, Flea.”

The woman laughed softly, grinning. “Maybe I should have been a therapist, help people with their problems.”

Athos shook his head. “That’s a terrifying thought.” Flea hit him, lightly as she was mindful of the baby, but was still grinning.

She watched as he went to Charlotte’s side, handing her Brigitte as he began speaking; whatever he said must have amused the woman for she let out a giggle and pulled her daughter closely.

She met Anne’s gaze, both thinking the same thing: Athos would heal, it would be difficult, but with Charlotte and Brigitte’s help he would.

And maybe he’d let himself be happy.

* * *

Charlotte released a happy hum, raising her arms above her head and stretching; she assessed the painting she had finally finished with an experienced eye.

It was a simple acrylic painting of pink and yellow tulips, done for a businessman who wanted to give his wife—who loved tulips—a personal gift for their anniversary.

Hopefully, she liked it, because _god_ did it take too long to make especially with a newborn.

She moved to clean her brushes, her lips curving up in a smile when her gaze landed on the silent baby monitor.

She was rather happy that Brigitte had decided to let her work for a whole hour, usually she woke up halfway through and Charlotte had to leave her studio.

The smile turned into a frown when she saw a familiar folder that she had forgotten was there, and if she was honest, didn’t want to remember.

She sighed, abandoning her brushes to pick up the folder; she opened it slowly, pulling out the sheets of paper.

They were real-estate ads for apartments, dropped off by Constance a few hours earlier.

Charlotte had been stunned to receive them and asked her sister _why_?

Constance had huffed, pointing out that she and Athos had agreed she would stay with him until the baby was born; two months had passed, shouldn’t she be looking, especially since the older Brigitte got the harder it would be for her to adjust?

Charlotte shook her head, biting her lip softly; her sister had a point but the truth was Charlotte knew the reason she wasn’t looking was because she didn’t _want_ to leave.

Because she didn’t want to leave _Athos_ , to be more specific.

There was really no point in denying her feelings for him; the way he made her laugh, the way her heart sped up when he was near…

She cared for him. _A lot_.

And that was the problem.

She may know what _her_ feelings were, but she had no clue what _his_ were; he was like a vault, nothing ever escaped when he didn’t want it to and though she could somewhat read him, he was still utterly difficult at times.

She knew he didn’t want to be in a relationship when they met, and there was nothing to suggest that opinion had changed in any way—

“Why is it I seem to always find you deep in thought?” A dry voice questioned, causing Charlotte to let out a gasp of surprise and whirl around to see Athos leaning against the doorway with a smirk.

“I didn’t realize you had come back,” She commented, placing the papers on the counter while trying to hide her expression; her hands shaking slightly.

“I’m on lunch break and decided that watching Aramis flirt and Porthos try to con someone out of their money wasn’t the way I wanted to spend it,” Athos explained, pushing himself off and making his way over.

“Brigitte’s still napping but she should be waking up…” She trailed off when he grabbed the ads off the counter. “…soon.”

She watched nervously as Athos scanned the papers slowly; an unreadable expression appeared on his face as he lowered it.

“So, you’re moving.” Charlotte winced, silently cursing her sister for bringing them to her and herself for leaving them out.

“My sister brought them,” She explained. “She pointed out it’s been two months and I should start looking.”

She watched Athos nod. “You should,” Athos agreed, the tone of his voice implying he didn’t _really_ think she should or maybe he didn’t want her to.

“But I haven’t, I mean,” She stammered as his blue eyes flew up to meet hers. “I don’t really—“

She stopped, having a mental argument with herself as Athos watched her curiously. “Charlotte if you want help…” Athos offered.

“I don’t want to leave!”

The sudden exclamation caused Athos’s eyes to widen as he stared at Charlotte who was now turning bright red.

“I mean,” She tried to backtrack. “Brigitte is so comfortable with you and I would rather not separate you from her.”

Athos’s expression changed (was it disappointment?). “I’m sure there’s an apartment close by, in your price range even.”

Charlotte let out a frustrated sound, causing Athos to quirk an eyebrow. “It’s not just Brigitte, I mean it is because you’re a good father but,”

She paused, biting her lip and ducking her head nervously; Athos cleared his throat awkwardly, stepping forward and grasping her arm gently.

“Charlotte,” His soft tone made her look up. “Whatever it is you want to say, say it.”

She let out a soft breath, gathering her courage before speaking. “The reason I don’t want to look is because I want to stay here, with _you_.”

Oh, god she actually said it, now he’s staring at her with wide-eyes and he doesn’t feel the same way—

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—“She stumbled over her words before sighing.

“I’ll just go.”

She said quietly, moving to leave and hopefully save _some_ of her dignity.

“Charlotte.” His voice firm as he held out an arm in front of her, effectively stopping her from leaving.

She glanced up, eyes conveying her confusion as he moved so he now stood in front of her; his hands came up to rest on her waist.

“What do you mean you don’t want to leave me?” He questioned softly, his gaze curious and…hopeful?

Charlotte blew a strand of her out of her face, she already said it, it couldn’t get much worse, could it?

“Exactly what it implies,” She took a deep breath to gather her courage. “You’re moody, there are times when you retreat so deep into your mind I don’t even know where you are and the difficulty you have conveying your emotions frustrates me to no end,”

Athos let out a low chuckle, his grip tightening as he silently asked her to continue; she laughed, her lips turning up in a soft smile. “But you are also kind, willing to do everything in your power to help others; you have this unique sense of humor that never fails to make it me laugh.”

She shook her head, her smile growing wider. “You have demons that haunt you, that much is clear, but at the same time you are still strong enough to fight them.”

“That’s why I can’t leave you, because I, I love you, moodiness and all.”

She released a deep breath, fidgeting slightly and looking down when she saw he was staring at her in shock. “And I understand that you can’t possibly feel the same way, that you’re not ready for a relationship and I—“

She stopped when she felt him place a hand under her chin and lift it so that she was meeting his blue-eyed gaze.

“Charlotte, I,” He swallowed heavily. “I was married before, a long time ago, and the way it ended—it left me scared of being with someone again.”

“When I met you in that bar, the way you were completely unintimidated by me drew me in, but at the same time I believed that it was better for you if we parted ways.”

He sighed heavily, his mouth curving up in a smile as he continued. “But then you told me you were pregnant, and while I still felt I wasn’t good for you I knew I couldn’t just abandon you and our child, it wasn’t in my nature.”

He brought one of his hands up to stroke her cheek, gazing softly into her eyes. “Throughout the pregnancy, I tried to deny the feelings I was developing for you, convincing myself it was simply because of your condition.”

“But it wasn’t, you Charlotte are this blinding light that somehow managed to pull me out of the darkness; your open heart, the way you see the good in everyone and everything made me feel something I haven’t in a long time.”

He leaned in so his forehead brushed hers gently, eyes shutting as he said in a low tone. “I love you too.”

Charlotte let out a tearful laugh. “Well, I believe I already said that I felt the same.” Athos chuckled as his eyes opened again.

The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Athos leaned in to brush his lips against hers and Charlotte reciprocated.

It was different from their other kisses, not passionate like their first or desperately affectionate like their second and third.

Instead, it was soft, gentle even; Charlotte couldn’t help but admit that while she liked their first three kisses just fine this one was probably her favorite.

Eventually, the two pulled apart with Charlotte burying her nose into his chest while Athos rested his chin on the top of her head.

“This isn’t going to be easy,” Athos warned her softly. “It’s as you said, I’m moody and have ghosts that haunt me, I’m a difficult person Charlotte.”

He felt Charlotte hum softly. “Relationships aren’t meant to be easy, I’m sure there’ll be moments where we’ll be screaming at each other one minute and then talking to each other about the _reasons_ we were screaming at each other the next.”

Charlotte tilted her head up to look at him, a soft smile on her face. “It’ll take work and compromise but that’s what love is.”

Athos made a noise of agreement, leaning to kiss Charlotte’s forehead softly before pulling her into another hug.

The two stayed like that, completely lost in each other until the moment was broken by a shrieking cry emitting from the baby monitor.

Charlotte let out a huff of laughter, walking over to pick up the monitor. “The life of being a parent,” She said wryly, looking over her shoulder at Athos who smiled.

Charlotte left her studio, Athos following close behind; he stopped, though, turning and walking over to where he left the apartment ads.

He picked them up, frowning when he saw there was writing on them; flipping them around he couldn’t help but snort when he saw a message scrawled on the back in Constance’s handwriting:

 _Athos, hopefully,_ _these will make you stop being an idiot and actually tell Charlotte how you feel; look after my baby sister ok? She really loves you but she’s too scared to tell you._

Athos shook his head, smiling wryly as he crushed the papers into a ball and threw them into the garbage.

“Athos?”

He heard Charlotte call and turned to go to her, glancing one last time over his shoulder before turning off the light and shutting the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was longer than I expected it to be, but hopefully, the end result isn't too disappointing.
> 
> Flea and Anne have made their grand entrance, which means I'm going to have to find another way to refer to Milady (maybe I'll just call her _she _).__
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _Next chapter will be more Charlotte and Athos developing relationship fluff!_  
> 


	6. The Joys of a New Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte tries to teach Athos to cook and Athos takes care of her when she gets sick; Athos might just be _the _perfect boyfriend.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is really just a fluffy chapter of Athos and Charlotte, though there is an appearance from other characters.

“Alright, now you want to let the coriander and cumin seeds bubble in the pan.”

“Bubble?” Athos inquired, sounding confused as he stared into the pan. Charlotte tried to stifle her laughter at the expression on his face.

“Yes, bubble, it helps with the flavor.” She explained. Athos nodded, returning his attention back to the pan.

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon; Athos didn’t have to go into work and Charlotte had no commissions to work on so she decided to start the cooking lessons Athos had asked her for.

“Now you add the onions, garlic, and ginger,” Charlotte explained, watching as he did as she said. “And you cook it together.”

Athos began stirring it with the spatula, staring at the pan with the same intense focus he gave to his work. Charlotte bit her lip, attempting to hide her smile.

“I realize I’m not the best chef,” Athos remarked dryly as he looked at her with amusement. “But surely I’m not _that_ bad?”

Charlotte shook her head, letting out a small laugh. “No, no you’re not,” she grinned. “In fact, you’re doing better that Uncle Jean did when he tried to learn.”

Athos raised an eyebrow. “And how, may I ask, did he do?” he inquired.

Charlotte sighed heavily, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Well, he managed to burn water so that should tell you.”

Athos cleared his throat. “Yes, I suppose it does.” The corners of his mouth twitched into a grin which Charlotte returned with a beaming smile of her own.

Athos couldn’t help but lean in to kiss her, which she returned happily.

The two were interrupted by the sound of babbling; the two shared a smile before glancing over at Brigitte waving her arms excitedly in her lounger.

“Hello _mia_ _cara_ ,” Charlotte cooed as she hoisted Brigitte into her arms. “Are you excited watching us cook?”

“Ah-ah!” Brigitte squealed, thrusting her arms out at her mother.

Charlotte laughed, bouncing the baby up and down. “Yes, I’m Mama,” she agreed, eyes twinkling.

She kissed the side of her head while looking at Athos. “And that’s your Papa,” she explained, emphasizing the words. “Pa-Pa.”

Athos shook his head, smiling at his two favorite girls as he added the tomato puree. “Your mother is a good teacher Brigitte, one of the best,” he stated.

Charlotte flushed. “Your father is a charmer Brigitte,” she whispered conspiratorially to her daughter. “Hopefully you don’t inherit that otherwise, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Brigitte just continued making sounds happily, waving her arms in front of her. Athos grinned as he grasped one of her hands and kissed her fingers.

He caught Charlotte’s look of contentment and they were lost in their own little family moment, staring at each other and their daughter like lovesick fools.

The oven beeping brought them out of their reverie. Athos moved to pull out the chicken as Charlotte placed Brigitte back in her lounger.

She turned back to face him, the view of her standing with her hands firmly on her hips and a few strands falling out of her low ponytail making him smile.

He wondered how he got so lucky.

“Now you add the chicken to the sauce…”

* * *

Athos had never been a heavy sleeper, it was just a fact of life, the result of him spending five years constantly having to watch his back in a cold mountainous region.

The nightmares of a loved one bleeding out on the floor certainly didn’t help either.

In any case, Athos’s insomnia was the reason why he was instantly awoken by the sound of tossing beside him.

His eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up, looking over to see Charlotte had a pained expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, shifting over to her with a worried expression.

She shook her head. “I can’t sleep and I don’t feel well,” she explained weakly, her voice sounding hoarse.

Athos frowned, reaching over to press the back of his hand to her forehead. His eyes widened when he felt how hot she was.

“I’m going to take your temperature, ok?” He said as he threw off the covers and headed into the bathroom. He came back with a thermometer in his hands and placed it in her mouth.

He sat on her side of the bed, waiting impatiently and tapping his foot until a beep was heard. He watched as Charlotte removed the thermometer and looked at it.

Her eyes widened. “103.8, that’s not good.” she tried to joke, but the expression on her face kind of ruined it.

Athos immediately grabbed the thermometer and checked it, glaring at it as if the mere act would make the temperature would go down.

“Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital,” Athos stated firmly as he moved to get dressed. Charlotte opened her mouth to protest, but the expression on his face made her decide otherwise.

Athos called Constance while Charlotte got dressed; he explained the situation and apologized for waking her but asked if she could come stay with Brigitte while he took Charlotte to the hospital.

Constance waved off the apology and told him she’d be there soon. He thanked her and hung up the phone, turning his head as he heard a loud cough.

Charlotte stood in the doorway of the walk-in closet, looking pale and miserable. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was shivering despite the fact she wore sweats and an oversized sweater.

He didn’t hesitate to pull her into his arms, kissing the side of her head and absently running his fingers through her hair to soothe her.

They stood like that for a few minutes before they pulled back, heading down the stairs with Athos’s arm around her waist. A knock alerted them to the fact Constance was there and Athos went to answer it.

Constance stood on the front steps with her hair messily pulled up and wearing an outfit similar to her sister.

She hurried into the house, making a beeline for her sister after saying a quick hello to Athos; she immediately began feeling her sister’s forehead and cheeks while asking her a series of rapid-fire questions.

Charlotte rolled her eyes but smiled softly at her sister’s worry as she responded to the questions. Athos stood back, feeling a brief pang as he recalled worrying over a little boy in a similar manner once upon a time.

Constance eventually decided her assessment was satisfactory and waved them off, though not before she whispered something in her sister’s ear that had said woman turning bright red as she quickly said something back.

Athos raised an eyebrow but decided not to ask as he bundled Charlotte into his car and drove her to the hospital.

When the two arrived, the waiting room was packed; upon approaching the front desk and being told the waiting time would be around two _hours_ Athos didn’t hesitate as he adopted his long-buried aristocratic tone and successfully terrified the receptionist into making a call before informing them that a doctor would be with them in a few minutes and a nurse was coming to take them for a brief examination.

Athos didn’t feel guilty, not when Charlotte looked so miserable and her spending time in a waiting room packed with other sick people would not help her condition.

The two were led to an examination room by a nurse, who amusedly gave Athos a wary look as she left after concluding the basic exam as if expecting him to yell at _her_.

Charlotte sat on the examination table, absently staring down at the floor as she swung her legs back and forth while Athos paced the room.

Athos released a heavy sigh as he began scrolling through his texts, seeing an update from Constance that Brigitte was still sleeping and a text from Treville regarding a meeting in the morning.

He quickly sent a reply to both before putting his phone in his pocket, he turned his head and ran his eyes over Charlotte to check how she was doing.

He quickly did a double take, however, frowning as he examined her outfit. He knew the sweater she wore was too big for her, but he just now realized _how_ huge it was…

His eyes widened in realization and he couldn’t help but smirk. “Charlotte?” he asked, causing her to look up.

“Yes?” she replied, tilting her head in confusion.

“The sweater you’re wearing…is it, by chance, _my_ sweater?”

The blush that quickly spread over her face made him grin as she ducked her head. “Yes, but only because it was the first thing I saw,” she defended herself.

The dark blue sweater had been from his (brief) time at law school, the school’s initials and logo on the front.

She hadn’t _meant_ to steal it, but it had been dark so she had accidently put it on and it was _so_ cozy…

She hoped he wouldn’t notice, but she forgot that he noticed _everything._

“It’s fine,” Athos said, smiling softly. “Besides,” he leaned in to whisper into her ear. “It looks better on you.”

She flushed, letting out a giggle as she squeezed his hand in thanks. Athos returned the gesture, leaning in to press a kiss to the side of her head.

He quickly stepped back when a man wearing a doctor’s coat walked in, though he still held her hand in his.

“Madame de la Fere?” The doctor questioned, causing Charlotte to blink in confusion.

“Oh, yes that’s me,” Charlotte replied quickly, lightly pinching Athos who let out a snort.

When the nurse came to get Charlotte, she tried to make Athos stay in the waiting room; something that Athos didn’t take too well and had led to a glaring match.

To avoid potentially getting _banned_ from the hospital Charlotte had said Athos was her husband; after she said it she worried about how Athos would take it but the smile on his face told her he didn’t mind at all.

The doctor didn’t comment on the delay in answering and instead began running through the data that had been compiled before asking her about any other symptoms that weren’t recorded.

Charlotte began shaking her head when Athos spoke up.

“She’s had a recurring cough this week, and she’s been having difficulty with swallowing.”

Charlotte glanced at him quizzically. “Have I?”  Athos nodded, squeezing her hand reassuringly before turning back to the doctor.

“Back when I served in the army I had three men who had a high fever and they brushed it off,” He cleared his throat. “They ended up having to be airlifted to a nearby hospital so you can understand why I’m concerned.”

The doctor nodded as he made a few notes on the chart. He examined Charlotte’s lungs and heart before finishing up with a throat culture and a check of her glands.

He looked back up at Athos. “It’s a good thing you brought her in,” He glanced at Charlotte with a weary smile.

“It’s a good thing you have an observant husband Madame, your throat doesn’t look too good and your glands are definitely swollen. There’s been a rather viral strain of strep throat going around, which is what this looks like. The fever spike is still in the early stage, however far too many people wait too long to seek treatment because they believe it will go down.”

A tired smile formed on his lips. “Unfortunately, as those men learned the hard way, high fevers in adults are very dangerous if left untreated and often lead to them being hospitalized for dehydration and on a fluid drip.”

The doctor handed her a slip. “I understand from your records you’ve recently given birth?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, we have a two-month-old daughter.” Her forehead wrinkled in worry. “Could I potentially infect her?”

She felt Athos squeeze her hand tightly, she quickly shot him a grateful smile that he returned before turning back to the doctor.

The doctor shook his head. “It’s incredibly rare for a baby to contract strep throat, however, I recommend you continue to breastfeed since your body produces antibodies to help fight the infection and you’ll pass those antibodies to your baby through your milk.”

He pointed at the slip. “Stop at the pharmacy and get this antibiotic, I also highly recommend getting some extra strength Tylenol.”

As if sensing her worry he smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, this is all perfectly safe and won’t affect your milk in any way. Follow the recommended dosage until your fever breaks, also remember to drink lots of fluids, even if you don’t feel like it, you need to stay hydrated.”

He continued. “Check in with your primary for a follow up next week, given that you have a cough the strep throat may be a precursor to another virus. You may develop some cold or flu-like symptoms but that’s normal.

“By the time of your follow-up your throat culture will be done and your doctor should be able to tell you if it’s cleared or if it’s something else and of course,” He gave her a look. “If your symptoms get dramatically worse or you find that you’re having trouble breathing come back immediately.”

Charlotte nodded, squeezing Athos’s hand tightly as she thanked the doctor who inclined his head and left.

 Charlotte turned to look at Athos, smiling softly. “Thank you.”

Athos quirked an eyebrow. “For what?” He questioned.

“For being a good husband.” She flushed when she realized what she said. “Fake husband, but I mean you’re also a good boyfriend so…”

She trailed off as Athos chuckled, bringing her hand up to kiss her knuckles. “I thank you for the compliment.”

His eyes twinkled in amusement as he placed a hand on her shoulder to guide her out. He paused in the waiting room, however, causing Charlotte to turn and look at him with a confused expression.

“What did Constance say to you, that caused you to blush?” Charlotte re-enacted the scene much to Athos’s amusement.

“She said that she didn’t know how it was possible, but I somehow found the perfect man.” Athos cleared his throat awkwardly. “I see.”

His mouth curved up in a curious smile. “How did you reply?”

She smiled softly at him, leaning up to place a quick kiss on his cheek before speaking.

“I agreed with her 100%.”

* * *

Aramis raised an eyebrow as he and Porthos followed Athos when he ducked into their favorite café. “I was under the impression you wanted to get home to see Charlotte?”

Athos shot him a look as they stood in line. “I do, but,” he paused for a long moment. “Charlotte likes the mac and cheese and the soup from here so…”

He trailed off embarrassingly, letting out a heavy sigh as he waited for the teasing to start.

To his surprise, he heard nothing and he looked up to see Aramis and Porthos staring at him with a soft expression. “What, no mocking words?” He inquired dryly.

Aramis shook his head, a soft smile on his face. “I’m just happy that you’re happy, my friend.” He replied.

Athos’s lips twitched briefly before he turned to the woman behind the counter. “Alice, how are you?” He asked pleasantly.

Alice Clerbeaux, the owner of the café, beamed at him. Her brown hair was piled on top of her head, a few curls falling loose. “Athos, how nice to see you, how is that beautiful daughter of yours doing?”

Athos smiled. “Quite well, she’s starting to lift her head up.”

Alice nodded. “And how is Charlotte, is she feeling any better?” She inquired, her expression concerned.

“The antibiotics have been taking effect and she’s been resting so she’s starting to feel better,” Athos replied, feeling touched by her concern.

Charlotte and Alice had been introduced to each other about a month after Brigitte was born; Charlotte had wanted to eat out so Athos took her to where most of the Musketeers ate due to its close location to their office and because of the woman who ran it.

Alice had opened the café after her husband died, saying she needed something to do in her grief; she had always loved cooking and baking so a café was a natural choice.

The two women had instantly bonded due to their shared culinary talents, even trading recipes with each other which led to a friendly competition between the women to see if they could make a better version of the other’s recipes.

No one could really complain since the results were usually quite delicious.

“That’s good,” Alice said with a warm smile on her face. “Now, what can I get you?”

Athos coughed. “Yes, could I have two orders each of your mac and cheese and chicken noodle soup?”

 “Coming right up.” She said before turning on her heel and heading back into the kitchen.

A few minutes later she reappeared carrying a bag with four take out containers which she handed to Athos. “Here you are.”

Athos nodded, already taking out his wallet. “How much do I owe you?”

Alice waved her hand. “It’s on the house,” She held up her hand upon seeing Athos about to protest. “It’s fine, you’ve been one of my best customers so you deserve a little reward.”

“Besides,” She began, grinning softly. “The woman who managed to put a smile on that grumpy face of yours deserves it.”

Athos cleared his throat awkwardly, cheeks flushed as he turned and walked out of the café with Aramis on his heels; no doubt the man planned to tease him.

Porthos shook his head, a wide grin on his face as he turned to face Alice who still had a smile on her face. “Do you always have to be an angel?”

Alice flushed, lightly hitting him on the arm. “Stop you, that ship has sailed.”

Porthos’s expression softened as he grasped her hand and brought it up to kiss her knuckles causing her cheeks to turn redder. “Such a shame too, we had many good times.”

Alice smiled softly as she recalled the first time the large man had walked in with his two partners. She had instantly been drawn to him, and him to her, but because of shyness—or fear, in her case—it had taken weeks for them to go on their first date.

They had a lot of fun, she recalled being happy for the first time since her husband’s death, but the reality of Porthos’s job—how dangerous it was—set in and she simply couldn’t love another man whose job may one day take him from her.

They ended their relationship as friends though, he may teasingly flirt with her once or twice but they were content with the way they were.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone else,” Alice assured him. “Maybe closer than you think,” She hinted heavily, looking over her shoulder to where Flea was seated with Anne in a deep conversation.

Porthos followed her gaze, an unreadable expression on his face as he watched the two women.

Flea caught his gaze and she waved, her eyebrow raised in a question. Porthos just shook his head, smiling slightly as he waved back.

The two stared at each other until Flea broke their gaze, turning her attention back to Anne when the woman asked her something. Porthos let out a heavy sigh.

“Should probably go and make sure Athos hasn’t murdered Aramis and dumped his body somewhere.” Alice nodded, knowing Aramis had a way of testing even the most reserved person’s patience.

She waved as Porthos left the café, the bell above the door ringing to signal his exit.

She stood in place for a few moments, lost in happy memories. She was brought out of it by the sound of someone calling her name.

Smiling brightly, she turned to attend to the person waving at her, looking over her shoulder just in time to see Porthos placing both arms around the shoulders of the other two men.

Porthos tilted his head back and let out a loud bark of laughter that had Aramis grinning and Athos shaking his head as the three brothers walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've started to hint at Porthos's relationships. :D
> 
> Also, the recipe Charlotte's teaching Athos is an Indian-inspired butter chicken recipe created by Laura Vitali on youtube. Personally, I love butter chicken and I _really _want to try making this sometime!__


	7. Home is Where the Heart is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Alexandre's birthday so Charlotte, Athos, and Brigitte travel to Lupiac for the party; unsurprisingly Athos is a little bit nervous.
> 
> He finds that he had no need to be.

It was silent in the darkened bedroom; the only sounds were the soft breathing of the man and woman laying in the bed.

Athos let out a soft sigh as he glanced down at Charlotte curled into his side, her head on his shoulder.

With no clothes to act as a barrier their bodies were radiating heat and providing warmth to each other; it was a _very_ pleasurable experience.

He watched her shift and he couldn’t help the grin forming on his face as her eyes fluttered open. He watched her cheeks flush a bright pink and her mouth turn up in a smile.

“Hi,” she said softly, her warm eyes appearing gold in the darkness. He chuckled in a low tone. “Hello.”

He leaned in to press a soft kiss to her forehead, pulling back to gently bump his forehead against hers.

The two stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying the sensation of being with each other without a wailing baby in the background.

Charlotte began running her hand up and down his chest, frowning when she felt a bump on his side. She glanced down and her breath caught when she saw a rather familiar scar on the right side of his sternum.

Athos followed her gaze and his expression changed; he looked back at her and watched as she gently touched the scar.

“When did you get this?” she asked softly, lifting her head slightly as she glanced at him.

He let out a heavy sigh as the memory came back to him. “Firefight in Afghanistan, we were pinned down heavily trying to rescue aid workers and civilians and I got hit.”

He gave her a soft smirk. “It was barely a scratch and we managed to get everyone out safely.”

She hummed, running a finger over a jagged scar on his lower left abdomen. “And this one?”

Athos rolled his eyes. “A druggie pulled out a knife and managed to get me; it was only a scratch, more annoying than anything else.”

Aramis and Porthos had ribbed him about it for months afterward, considering the man hadn’t even _tried_ to hide what he was doing.

Charlotte’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “And what about this one?” She inquired, her gaze having shifted to an irregular bruise on his neck.

His smirk grew wider. “I believe that was from you, as a token of your love,” he remarked dryly.

Charlotte lightly hit him on the shoulder as her mouth turned up in a smile. She shifted so she now lay on top of his chest, her hands folded neatly on his chest and her chin resting atop them.

She stared into his eyes for a few minutes before she spoke in a soft voice. “My father’s birthday is tomorrow.”

Athos raised an eyebrow. “You never told me,” he remarked in a curious tone.

She made a noncommittal sound as she sat up, causing him to groan in protest. “The town will probably hold a big party for him, they do it every year.”

Athos nodded, eying her carefully. “I’m assuming you’ve been invited to attend?” He asked.

She nodded slowly. “And people have been wanting to see Brigitte too so…”

Athos nodded, trying to hide his disappointment; it wasn’t that he didn’t _want_ Charlotte to see her father and Brigitte to see her grandfather but he knew the house would feel rather empty without them.

Charlotte cleared her throat, cheeks flushing pink as she began speaking. “As it so happens, you’ve also been a curiosity to them,”

Athos raised an eyebrow. “Have I?” he asked, watching as her expression became nervous.

“Yes and…” She played with her fingers. “I was wondering if you would, of course only if you want to, I mean maybe…”

“Charlotte,” Athos spoke firmly, raising his head up to stare intently at her. Charlotte let out a sigh, her lips turning up in a nervous smile. “Would you like to come home with me?”

Athos blinked, laying his head back against his pillow as he tilted his gaze up to the ceiling and let his thoughts wander.

He knew Charlotte loved Paris, loved the fact that it had given her the chance to pursue her dreams and that it was where she had met him.

He wasn’t being arrogant; that was something she herself had told him.

But he also knew how much she missed Lupiac, the place where she had grown up; she hadn’t been able to return since before Brigitte was born.

Their relationship wasn’t the most traditional but he knew most couples often brought each other home to meet their family.

True, he had already met her _immediate_ family but he knew she considered most of Lupiac to be her family as well.

And then there was the fact it was her father’s birthday...

At Athos’s continued silence she felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment and she began to move off him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked—“

She was cut off by Athos gently grasping her wrists. “Charlotte.” he said firmly as he sat up, staring intently into her eyes.

It baffled him sometimes, how the bright young woman who forced him to confront his insecurities had so many of her own.

“I would love to go with you to Lupiac,” she blinked in confusion. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the country and it would be good for Brigitte to spend some time in the country air.”

Charlotte’s mouth turned up in a small smile. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” she leaned down to press a soft kiss to his mouth. His hand came up to tangle in her hair and hold her in place.

In a flash, he had flipped them so he was now on top. She let out a breathless giggle as her head hit the pillow and he grinned wickedly at her.

He began leaning down to resume the kiss only to pause, head turning to the side to glance at the baby monitor which thankfully stayed silent.

He looked back at her, grin still in place. “How long do you think we have until our darling daughter wakes?” he asked in a low voice.

Charlotte’s mouth twitched into a smile, her dark curls fanned out across the pillow and her amber eyes dark with desire. “Why don’t we test it out?” she suggested, her tone seductive and promising.

Athos’s eyes darkened as he leaned down. “My dear Charlotte,” he murmured against her lips as he intensified the kiss.

“It would be my _pleasure_.”

* * *

Athos let out a groan as he stretched, wincing when he heard bones cracking; he really was getting old.

He looked around; they had stopped at a gas station just outside Lupiac to fill up on gas and meet up with Constance and Jacques before heading up to the D’Artagnan farm.

“So, what do you think of our quaint little town?” Athos turned, a soft smile pulling at his lips when he saw Charlotte approaching him.

She wore a pink and white striped tank top with dark blue denim shorts and brown sandals, her hair pulled into a simple side braid; she carried Brigitte in her arms and had a black bag slung over her shoulder.

In Athos’s mind, she looked stunning.

Athos pretended to be thinking. “Well, it’s certainly a lot smaller than Paris…” Charlotte rolled her eyes, lightly hitting him on the shoulder.

“But,” His eyes softened as he stepped closer, resting a hand on her waist. “It has this charm to it, which doesn’t surprise me.”

He winked at her. “After all, it’s where you were born and raised.”

Charlotte’s cheeks turned a bright pink as she shook her head. “Your gift with words never fails to astound me,” she remarked dryly as her lips curved up in a smile.

Athos grinned as he leaned in to kiss her. “You seem to bring it out in me,” he murmured softly, causing her to pull back and let out a burst of laughter as her eyes twinkled with amusement.

“Charlotte D’Artagnan, is that you?”

The sudden exclamation caused the two to turn and leading Athos to adopt a cautious stance as the unknown person came closer.

He relaxed however when he saw a kind-looking older gentleman who Charlotte obviously knew if the expression on her face was any indication.

“Uncle Bernard!” Charlotte greeted cheerfully, smiling warmly as the man approached with a big smile of his own.

“I thought it was, I’d recognize those dark curls anywhere,” He stated as he kissed her on the cheek, his eyes twinkling.

Charlotte laughed as she turned to Athos. “Athos this is Bernard Martin, he served with my father and Uncle Jean and currently runs the gas station with his wife Julie.”

She turned back to Bernard, a gentle smile on her face as she spoke. “Uncle Bernard this is my boyfriend Athos.”

Bernard smiled warmly as he shook the man’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you, I have heard many things about you.”

“All good things I hope,” Athos replied, causing Bernard to chuckle softly.

His attention was drawn to Brigitte as she began cooing softly. “And you must be Mademoiselle Brigitte,” he stated, a soft smile forming on his lips.

“Your grandfather couldn’t stop talking about you, he’s very proud of you and says you’re one of the most beautiful women he has ever laid his eyes on.” he added in a warm tone.

Charlotte couldn’t help but smile as she looked down at her daughter who was playing with her shirt collar. “She’s very gorgeous,” she agreed softly.

Athos nodded his head in agreement, his mouth quirking into a smile. “She takes after her mother,” he remarked dryly.

Charlotte’s cheeks turned pink as she looked up at him with warm eyes, a smile forming on her lips.

The two stared at each other for a few minutes while Bernard watched them with amusement; eventually, the two of them looked away but still had smiles on their faces.

Bernard cleared his throat. “Julie’s in the back and I know she’d like to see you so…” he trailed off, turning to head into the station.

Charlotte sighed softly, turning to look at Athos who raised an eyebrow. “You still happy you decided to come with me?” she inquired jokingly.

Athos chuckled softly, moving to wrap an arm around her waist and leaning in to kiss her forehead softly. “It’s the second-best decision I’ve ever made,”

She raised an eyebrow. “What was the first?” she asked curiously, tilting her head.

He smiled softly as he reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “Walking into that bar,” he replied seriously.

Charlotte flushed, her eyes warm with affection as she returned his smile. Athos grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to the side of her head.

He turned his head just in time to see Bernard reappear with a woman close behind; she had blonde curls falling to her shoulders and warm blue eyes, she had wrinkles lining her face but she still looked beautiful.

_This must be Julie,_ he thought as the woman began hurriedly walking over to them.

“Charlotte!” The blonde exclaimed with a wide grin on her face.

Charlotte smiled warmly as she passed Brigitte to Athos just in time for her to be pulled into a big hug by the older woman.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too Aunt Julie,” She said pleasantly as the woman kissed both her cheeks.

“Oh, look at you,” Julie exclaimed, cupping both cheeks as she stared into the younger woman’s eyes. “You’re becoming more and more beautiful every day.”

Charlotte’s face turned a bright red as she muttered a thank you, turning to take her daughter from Athos; she shot him a warning look when she saw the smirk on his face.

To his surprise, he was immediately pulled into a hug by Julie as soon as his arms were free which made Charlotte’s mouth twitch upwards.

Julie pulled back, lightly patting his arms as she smiled softly. “Forgive me, but I’ve heard many good things about you and I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

Athos ducked his head in embarrassment as his cheeks turned red. Thankfully he was saved from replying—and possibly embarrassing himself—when he saw Jacques and Constance pull her in.

He winced as Charlotte let out an excited squeal, letting out a chuckle as the sisters began excitedly talking to one another as if it had been months and not weeks since they last saw each other.

“You sure you’re ready to deal with this insanity?” Jacques asked jokingly, causing Athos to smirk at him.

His expression softened as his gaze landed on Charlotte smiling brightly, chatting with her sister.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

* * *

Charlotte had mentioned that the town held a big party for her father every year but Athos didn’t realize _how_ big, in fact, it probably could be called a festival more than a party.

There were booths set up with face painting and various games, a long table filled with food that the people of Lupiac made (and even Charlotte herself had brought some food that she had tried to hide from Athos), a bouncy castle and many other activities that made it so no one could be bored.

Athos couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder to where Charlotte, Constance, and Brigitte were seated on a picnic blanket under some shade with a group of women of various ages chatting warmly.

Brigitte was perched on her mother’s lap waving her arms excitedly and making various sounds as the women cooed at her.

He and Jacques had ended up being dragged into a conversation by Alexandre and some of his old military buddies; they were also Treville’s friends and Athos found them easy to converse with.

Athos had to admit that he _had_ been worried about coming, knowing that there was a good possibility people wouldn’t have the most favorable opinion about him getting Charlotte pregnant, but they greeted him with open arms and welcomed him as if he was an old friend.

_Most_ of them anyways, he thought wryly as his gaze landed on an elderly woman giving him the evil eye.

He heard Alexandre sigh next to him as he explained dryly. “Madame Faure is still hoping Charlotte will marry her son, despite the fact they broke up six years ago.”

Athos nodded slowly and Jacques decided to step in. “I heard he’s married now, to a man who works in accounting.”

Athos felt his lips twitch at the obvious attempt to reassure him. “At least he’s happy,” he remarked dryly.

He knew, of course, that Charlotte hadn’t exactly been a nun when he met her; that much was obvious from their more… _intimate_ interactions.

That didn’t bother him, it was in the past and had no effect on their present relationship.

That didn’t mean, however, that he didn’t have dark thoughts of self-doubt arise from time to time; he wondered if he was good enough for Charlotte if maybe she wouldn’t have been happier with a man her own age.

He ruthlessly squashed those thoughts: if Charlotte wanted to be with another man she would have chosen to do so, she was happy with him and that was that.

He shook his head, frowning when he saw two kids approaching Charlotte and begin to speak with her.

Whatever they were talking about was making Charlotte shake her head, her cheeks were flushed with what he assumed to be embarrassment.

He watched as Constance began talking to her sister, evidently trying to convince her to do something if her hand gestures were any indication.

Charlotte sighed, evidently having been defeated by her sister; she handed Brigitte over to her sister and followed the kids to where two skipping ropes laid on the ground.

“I’m surprised she actually agreed,” Jacques commented absently, the other men nodding their heads in agreement.

Athos raised an eyebrow. “What exactly did they ask her to do?” he inquired curiously as he glanced over to see two kids join the others and pick up the ropes.

“They asked her to play double dutch with them,” At Athos’s confused look Alexandre elaborated. “Charlotte’s fairly good at it, so the younger kids have been trying to beat her for a long time.”

Athos nodded, smiling as he watched Charlotte begin to jump; he had to agree with Alexandre’s assessment, Charlotte _was_ good.

She had a big smile on her face as she began jumping; she saw Athos watching her with amusement and her cheeks turned pink as she waved at him.

He grinned, leaning against a nearby tree as he watched her; eventually she must have got tired as she stopped and waved at the other kids to continue.

She went over to gather Brigitte into her arms, laughing at something Constance said before making her way over to him.

“Hello,” she greeted with a bright smile on her face as she adjusted Brigitte; her cheeks were flushed a bright pink and her eyes were bright with happiness.

Athos returned the smile. “Hey,” he replied in a soft voice as he leaned over to kiss her.

“It looks like you had fun.” he observed in a teasing tone.

Charlotte laughed, glancing over her shoulder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done that,” she mused softly.

She shook her head. “Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the energy they do,” she said, mock sighing in regret.

Athos raised an eyebrow. “I disagree, you seemed to have a _lot_ of energy last night,” he pointed out with a smirk.

Charlotte’s cheeks turned bright red as she shot him a look. “Maybe I just need the right motivation,” she suggested as she stepped closer, her mouth curving up in a smile.

Athos hummed, placing a hand on her hip and pulling her closer. “I’m always happy to provide that motivation,” he replied as he gently kissed her forehead.

Charlotte laughed as she smiled up at him; an expression that he couldn’t identify crossed her face and he watched her look over at Constance, the sisters having a conversation with their eyes before she turned back to him.

“Follow me, I have something to show you, ” she said, sounding nervous as she began walking.

Athos, though confused, did as he was told and followed her; she led him down a hill and through a series of trees before she stopped, turning to look at him with a nervous smile.

He blinked as he looked around at where they were; it seemed to be a little nook far away from the farm, with trees providing shade and a pond that gave a beautiful view.

There were wooden chairs, couches, and tables that looked as if they had been there for ages and the trees had marks on them; on further inspection, Athos saw the words _Constance and Charlotte’s place_ and below that, a heart with _C + J_ engraved in it.

“Connie and I stumbled across this place when we were eight,” Charlotte began, a small smile on her face as she sat down on one of the couches. “It was after our mother died and our father was…busy so we decided to go exploring.”

Athos sat down beside her as her voice began to shake, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand.

She smiled tearfully at him, ducking her head down to press a kiss onto the top of Brigitte’s head before continuing. “It became our own little paradise, our way of escaping.”

She let out a laugh as she glanced around. “As you can see we did decorate it a little,” Athos chuckled.

“And I see Jacques has been here, unless Constance has dated another boy whose name starts with a J and she just hasn’t destroyed the evidence yet,” He remarked dryly causing Charlotte to giggle.

“No, it was Jacques,” here she smiled. “He was the only person she brought here.”

“How do you know?” Athos asked curiously, causing Charlotte to blush.

“It was part of the agreement,” At Athos’s confused look she explained, her cheeks turning redder. “We both agreed that the only people we would bring her would be our children,”

Here she smiled as she looked down at Brigitte who was waving her arms; she took a deep breath before turning to look back at Athos with a soft expression. “Or our one true love.”

Her blush deepened when she saw his stunned expression. “We were eight when we came up with the agreement so…” She trailed off as she looked away, embarrassed.

She felt a hand slide under her chin and gently turn her so she was facing Athos. “I am honored that I was the one person you shared this with.” He replied seriously.

Charlotte smiled warmly and leaned in to kiss him which he returned; they rested their foreheads together as they basked in the silence.

Eventually, they pulled back. “We should probably head back before they send out a search party,” she suggested.

Athos nodded. “We should,” He agreed, holding out a hand which she took with a grin and he pulled her up.

His hand came to rest on her hip as they walked back towards the party where they were greeted with Alexandre beginning to blow out the candles on his cake.

There were jokes made about his age which caused him to make sharp retorts that had everyone laughing; he was asked what he wished for and he said that he wanted Constance and Jacques to give him more grandchildren which caused said two to blush furiously.

There was warmth and laughter, and as Athos looked down at Charlotte’s face lit up with happiness he privately decided there was no else he’d rather be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a lot longer than I expected, but hopefully, it's enjoyable?


	8. Ladies of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you all work very demanding jobs (and being a mother is definitely the most demanding) and have very busy lives it can be hard to spend time together but somehow Anne, Flea, Constance, and Charlotte manage it.
> 
> Or the girls talk about relationships and the boys are left utterly confused and not even Athos's scary face can get them to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is literally just the girls hanging out and being sisters and seeking advice from each other about their relationships.

“This is nice, we don’t really hang out that much,”

Constance mused, laying back against the patio swing and taking a sip of her iced tea; she let out an exaggerated sigh of satisfaction that had her sister giggling.

“In our defense, I’m usually holed up at HQ looking through someone’s computer,” Flea began, casually tucking her knees underneath her. “While Anne makes some reporter fall in love with her—“

Anne gave her a warning look, crossing her legs and looking every inch a proper lady. “It’s called being pleasant and ensuring the media is on our side.”

Flea made a noncommittal sound as she lifted her glass. “In any case, free time isn’t exactly something we have an abundance of.”

Charlotte hummed softly, a smile pulling at her lips as she watched Brigitte wave her arms energetically while she babbled nonsensically. 

Anne let out a giggle. “I can’t believe how much she’s grown,” she whispered in awe.

Charlotte laughed softly. “I know, it’s so strange.”

She carefully adjusted her daughter on her lap, gently playing with her hands. “I still remember how small she was when I held her for the first time…”

It was hard to believe that so much time has passed since that moment when her world changed, so much had changed; she was with Athos now, she was a mother…

It was sometimes difficult to wrap her head around it.

Constance smiled warmly. “You’ve changed too,” she pointed out. “You seem so happy now, not that you were depressed before but…”

Charlotte nodded, a smile forming. “I feel so different; _Athos_ makes me feel so giddy like I’m a schoolgirl again.”

Her cheeks flushed as she looked down. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved a man like I love him and I don’t think I ever will.”

Her sister reached out to squeeze her hand tightly. “And I’m _so_ happy for you Charlotte,” she said sincerely.

Flea cleared her throat. “Not to ruin the mood or anything, but on the subject of romance…”

She grinned, turning to look at Anne who stared at her suspiciously. “Mademoiselle D’Autriche here went on a date with a certain Hispanic agent.”

Anne’s cheeks turned bright red as Constance’s head snapped to her. “You went out with Aramis?” she asked incredulously.

“It wasn’t a date!” Anne protested. “It was dinner between two colleagues.”

Flea raised an eyebrow. “He took you to _La Bodega Sabor_ , that place isn’t exactly where you would take a _colleague_.”

“It didn’t mean anything; I simply mentioned I was missing home and he offered to take me there because their food is known for being very authentic…”

She trailed off when she realized what she just said. Flea looked at her as if saying _really_?

“The guy took you to a well-known, _expensive_ restaurant simply because you were missing home.” Her voice softened. “Anne, you may be blonde but you’re not dumb.”

Anne laughed softly before letting out a sigh. “It’s just, you _know_ what his reputation is.”

Constance couldn’t help but let out a snort, quieting when Charlotte shot her a look: it was true that Aramis had _quite_ the reputation with ladies.

Charlotte couldn’t believe how many women he had hooked up with and learned quickly that asking who he was seeing would lead to a headache.

 _However,_ she also knew that Aramis was very respectful with women, the result of having three older sisters whom he adored. She knew that if he was in a relationship with a woman (meaning, they were not simply hooking up casually ) he remained faithful to her and only her.

She also knew that the one thing he wanted most was a family, a wife and kids and the whole white picket fence.

He never actually _voiced_ that wish, in fact, he often insisted that he was quite content with his bachelor status, but she saw the longing in his eyes when he interacted with Brigitte.

He wanted to settle down and she honestly couldn’t think of anyone better suited to him than Anne.

Charlotte turned her attention back to Anne, who had been talking while she was lost in her thoughts. “…I don’t know if he wants to actually _be_ with me or if he just wants to have one night.”

She let another sigh. “I haven’t exactly had many relationships, Louis was the longest one.”

“Wait, wait,” Constance said as she held her hand up. “By Louis, do you mean Louis Bourbon? As in, Minister of the Interior?”

Anne nodded. “Our families grew up in the same circles,” she explained when she saw the shocked expressions of the D’Artagnan sisters.

Louis Bourbon was a member of a very small, very _distant_ branch of the royal house that had somehow survived the French Revolution and continued to hold onto their power and wealth by going into business and started a shipping company.

Louis’s father, Henri Bourbon, had broken tradition however by going into politics and ended up being elected as the Minister of the Interior which was then taken over by his son when he died.

Louis was the main reason why the Musketeers could act as they did; he was rather fond of them and granted them the authority to act as a law enforcement agency within France.

For them to act _outside_ of France, however, required the support of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Armand Richelieu, an old friend of Louis’s father, which was incredibly difficult to get.

He had a fierce hatred of the Musketeers and made it his life mission to make their lives difficult; he and Treville could barely be in the same room as each other without bursting into an argument.

The fact that he had former law enforcement acting as his bodyguards and investigators, nicknamed the Red Guards, who were known for being corrupt didn’t help matters.

The rivalry between the Red Guards and Musketeers was anything but friendly, especially when the Red Guards tried to step on their toes.

Learning that Anne had dated Louis, a man who could essentially be considered their boss, was quite surprising indeed.

“Our parents encouraged it and it kept them off our backs so we were fine with it,” Anne explained, shrugging her shoulders. “But eventually we realized we were more like brother and sister; we remained friends though.”

“Which has come in handy more than once when we need Louis’s support,” Flea remarked, grinning at Anne who shot her a look.

“The point is, how do I know he’s even interested in me? He likes buxom women or models, I’m _none_ of those things.” Anne reminded them, her tone disappointed.

“You won’t know unless you try,” Charlotte said as Anne smiled softly. “Perhaps you’re right.”

Constance turned her head towards Flea. “While we’re on the subject of relationships, what’s with you and Porthos?”

The blonde tech expert turned bright red. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Anne raised an eyebrow. “Really? You’re so eager to point out other people’s obvious feelings yet when it comes to your own you’re blind.”

Flea sighed heavily. “We dated a long time ago, we were kids, didn’t know any better really.” Her lips turned up in a reminiscing smile.

“Why’d you end it?” Charlotte asked. By all accounts, Porthos was a good man—and she assumed he had been back then as well—so she couldn’t see why they would break up.

Flea let out a huff, blowing a strand of hair out of her face as she fingered her glass. “He had signed up with the army, he never wanted to stay in the Court of Miracles, and given that we had no idea how long he’d been gone or when he’d get leave we decided it would be best to end it.”

Flea would be lying if she said it hadn’t hurt when the relationship had ended; Porthos had been her first love, her first kiss, her first time.

But she recognized that they were moving in two different directions and staying together when they would be miles away wouldn’t be good for either of them.

So, he left and she had gotten together with Charon which hadn’t been very stable because of his illegal activities so she ended things and began working as a bartender while attending computer science classes at night.

Then Porthos came back in her life, working as a police detective and asking for her help in a case that required the use of her computer skills.

They had briefly hooked up during that time but went their separate ways because once again they were doing different things.

He returned two years later, having left his job as a detective to take a job with a private agency who just so happened to be looking for someone to lead their tech division and he recommended her.

She quit her job as a bartender the next day, cleaned herself up for the interview, which she thought she did horrible on, but she got the call and hasn’t looked back since.

“Now we work together,” she shrugged. “We banter with each other, take shots at each other and our relationship is still close; why would I change it?”

“Because you might still have feelings for him?” Charlotte pointed out quietly.

The expression on Flea’s face told them everything. “Look I won’t deny what we had together was good,” her tone turned wistful as she spoke.

A wry grin formed on her face. “He was certainly very _skilled_ if you know what I mean, he did this thing with his mouth—“

“Ah, no!” The other women let out identical squeals of horror. “There’s a baby here!” Constance protested as the mother of said baby covered her ears.

“I need to get started on dinner,” Charlotte said as she got up. “And I also don’t need to hear about Porthos and what he did with his mouth—“

“What did Porthos do?”

Charlotte quickly turned her head and came face to face with Athos who was raising an eyebrow at her while Porthos and Aramis had identical looks of curiosity.

Flea’s face was bright red as was Anne’s while Constance just smirked. “Oh, nothing much Flea was just telling us how much she enjoyed what Porthos did with his—mmpf!”

She was cut off by Flea quickly covering her mouth with her hand causing Porthos to raise an eyebrow.

Athos turned to look at Charlotte, giving her his famous _there’s something you’re not telling me and I don’t like it so spill_ look.

“That look doesn’t work on me,” she told him cheerfully with a wide smile on her face.

Athos’s lips twitched as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips. “Doesn’t hurt to try,” he said in a low voice as he picked up his daughter and began planting kisses on her face which caused her to giggle.

Charlotte smiled softly as she watched the scene before clearing her throat. “I’m making chicken tetrazzini for dinner, I’m assuming you’ll be staying?”

Aramis grinned. “I would _never_ miss out on your wonderful cooking my dear,” he gave an exaggerated bow.

Athos rolled his eyes, muttering about overly dramatic friends which caused Aramis to mockingly place a hand over his heart and act hurt.

Porthos just redirected his gaze to the sky, as if asking what he had done to be punished so harshly.

Aramis huffed, turning up his nose and making a remark about he was so underappreciated; his eyes twinkled as he turned his attention to Anne and held out a hand.

“My fair lady, shall we leave these disrespectful hooligans to themselves?”

Anne giggled. “Absolutely, my brave knight.”

She replied in a posh voice as she took his hand. He pulled her up and the group began heading inside.

“Wait a minute,” Porthos suddenly spoke up causing everyone to stop. “Is no one going to explain what you were talking about before we arrived?”

The women looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

“That never bodes well,” Aramis muttered as Flea looked at Porthos with a grin. “Sorry Porthos, but us girls must have our secrets.”

The other girls nodded in agreement, trying to hide their grins.

“I knew introducing you to Flea was a mistake,” Athos whispered to Charlotte, causing her to chuckle as she kissed his cheek.

“Probably.” She raised an eyebrow. “But do you really regret it?”

Athos took in her bright eyes, her wide smile and the way she glowed with happiness.

“No, not at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry boys, but these girls are like vaults when it comes to each other's secrets: you can _try _C-4 but even that won't make a dent.__


	9. A Daisy for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Charlotte's birthday and Athos is panicking because he didn't know therefore he doesn't have a gift. 
> 
> However, he _is _a De La Fere and if there's one thing they know how to do it's thinking on their feet.__
> 
>  
> 
> _  
> _Or Athos once again proves he's an absolutely perfect boyfriend._  
>  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Lots of fluff ahead, prepare yourselves :D

Athos knew he was in for a _long_ day when he walked in to find Aramis, Porthos, and Flea hunched over Aramis’s computer talking in low voices.

The last time this happened Treville ended up having his entire office decorated with toilet paper; he hadn’t been pleased and had given them more paperwork since they had so much free time they obviously needed more.

The fact that the Captain was so grumpy for _weeks_ afterwards and made everyone miserable wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat, thus he decided to step in before it got to that point.

“I would have thought that you learned your lesson last time,” he remarked dryly, smirking when the Three Stooges’ heads snapped up so fast he was slightly worried they might have broken their necks.

“Unless you _want_ to fill out several forms about every detail of our cases…” he trailed off, watching in amusement as Aramis shivered.

“Thanks for reminding me, once was enough.” He shook his head, a grin forming on his face. “We aren’t planning on pranking Treville; in fact, we are doing something nice.”

“Oh?” Athos questioned, raising an eyebrow. Flea nodded.

“We’re getting a present for Charlotte since her birthday is tomorrow.”

“Her what is tomorrow?” Athos demanded, his face turning pale.

“Yes, you didn’t know?” Porthos asked, curious as he eyed the man carefully.

Judging by the panicked expression on his face he didn’t and that was clearly upsetting him. “No, she never mentioned it,” he muttered, sounding very irritated.

“What’s making you so grumpy?”

Charlotte’s cheerful voice asked as she made her way over, adjusting Brigitte in her arms.

“Apparently you forgot to inform Athos that your birthday was tomorrow,” Aramis explained, ignoring Athos’s pointed glare directed at him.

Charlotte flushed. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” she apologised, her eyes wide in horror.

Athos shook his head, smiling softly as he kissed her on the forehead. “It’s alright, you just made me look like a _horrible_ boyfriend.”

He said, sounding completely serious as he pulled back. Charlotte turned even redder and opened her mouth to apologise again when she saw he was smirking at her.

She chuckled as she lightly hit him on the shoulder. “You are ridiculous,” she scolded playfully.

Athos just smiled as he placed a hand on the small of her back. “Come on, I believe we have a lunch date.”

He began leading her out the door, however, he stopped half-way causing Charlotte to look up at him curiously. “Aramis, Porthos?”

He glanced over his shoulder to see the two men staring at him innocently. “I do hope you are actually getting Charlotte a _gift_ and not a prank.”

Aramis put a hand over his heart in mock anger. “How dare you, good sir? I would _never_ do anything to potentially harm the lovely Mademoiselle Charlotte!”

He proclaimed, sounding completely sincere even as he grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Athos shot him a look that clearly said he wasn’t buying it. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Porthos waited until Athos and Charlotte were out of earshot before turning to Aramis. “So, we _are_ just getting her a gift, right?”

Aramis snorted. “Of course, we’ll wait until her second birthday with us to prank her.”

Flea shook her head, muttering something about men with the self-preservation of a moth as she headed back to tech.

“I heard that!” Aramis yelled at her retreating back, grinning as she yelled back, “Good, then maybe you’ll learn!”

Porthos sighed, he _really_ needed to get new friends.

* * *

 Athos’s mouth twitched while he watched Charlotte completely ignore her food in favor of talking in a low voice to Brigitte who she was bouncing on her knees.

Brigitte appeared to enjoy it if her giggles were anything to go by. “I was under the impressions you actually wanted to eat,” he remarked dryly.

He enjoyed watching Charlotte’s cheeks turn pink. “Perhaps I just wanted to spend time with _you_.” She replied sweetly, smiling brightly when he turned red.

“So,” he began, clearing his throat and trying to sound casual as he continued. “Is there a particular reason why I wasn’t informed of your birthday?”

Charlotte bit her lip, clearly debating with herself before she sighed. “My mom and I have the same birthday,” she said quietly, looking down.

Athos’s expression became serious and he took her hand in his, squeezing it softly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

She shook her head, giving him a gentle smile. “You know I was eight when she died,” she paused and he waited patiently for her to continue. “The first birthday after she—well, Connie and Papa tried to make it a happy one, and the ones after as well.”

“I think it helped them too, in a way, work past their grief and focus on something else so I didn’t argue when they threw me a big party every year.”

Athos nodded, slowly putting the pieces together. “That’s why you didn’t tell me because you didn’t want me to make a big deal out of it.”

She flushed in embarrassment. “I still should have told you about it, and I’m so sorry about that—“

She stopped when he squeezed her hand softly. “It’s fine, really, I understand wanting your privacy,” he replied, his mouth turned up in a soft smile.

She chuckled softly as she squeezed back. “I don’t _want_ anything big Athos, I don’t _need_ anything from you,” she smiled at him. “You’ve already given me the best gift I could have ever had.”

“I don’t—“

Athos frowned, trying to recall anything he might have given her recently. She rolled her eyes playfully, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I’m talking about you and Brigitte.”

“Oh,” Athos said dumbly, feeling his cheeks heat at the compliment. “Well then, you are very welcome,” he leaned over to kiss her which she returned happily.

The family of three finished their lunch with Athos giving Charlotte one last kiss before escorting her and Brigitte to her silver Audi A3 Sportback which had actually been partially bought by Athos; he originally wanted to buy it fully but she put her foot down and they split it fifty/fifty.

Athos himself had a BMW Coupe that he drove only occasionally; his primary vehicle was, to Charlotte’s surprise/amusement, was a sleek black Honda CTX700T.

She would have been lying if she said the combined sight of him on the bike wearing leather didn’t make her tingle.

Athos began walking back to the office, his mind racing as he tried to collect his thoughts. Charlotte said she didn’t want anything big, but he should still get her something, shouldn’t he?

As he tried to think of something to get her (flowers, chocolate?) he walked by a jewellery store. He looked in the window to see a rose pendant on display, glittering in the lights of the store.

He stopped, a grin forming on his face as a plan began to form in his mind. Entering the store, he nervously made his way to the front desk where a young woman smiled warmly at him.

“Hello, I was wondering if you take special orders…?”

* * *

 Charlotte let out a heavy sigh as she entered the house. Her mouth turned in a small smile as she glanced down at the brightly wrapped package in her hands.

She had been surprised to get a call from her sister asking her if she could stop by her apartment; luckily Athos had gotten off work early and agreed to watch Brigitte while she headed over.

As soon as she stepped into the apartment Constance appeared by her side, taking measurements which made Charlotte realise exactly _why_ she was invited over.

Constance had made her a dress for her birthday and was simply double-checking her measurements with the ones she had taken a week earlier when Charlotte had acted as a stand-in for a client.

The dress was absolutely _breathtaking,_ no surprise since it had been made by Constance, it was made out of dark blue lace and fell to her knees with half-length sleeves and an illusion neckline.

The dress had been designed to show off her curves, something which made Charlotte nervous as her body had changed quite a bit after having Brigitte, but in typical Constance fashion, the dress presented them in a positive light.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the smell of something cooking, steak? She frowned, beginning to walk towards the kitchen.

“Athos, what’s…”

She trailed off, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before: the table had a white tablecloth over top with candles and flowers in the center and table setting for two.

Athos was at the stove, muttering to himself as he stared into the pan. He looked up and saw Charlotte standing in the open arch of the kitchen.

“Hello,” he greeted her with a small, nervous smile as she walked in, glancing at the perfectly set table.

“What is all this?”

She asked softly, looking at him with confusion in her eyes. Athos cleared his throat, moving the pan off of the open burner and walking over to her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “You said you didn’t want anything big for your birthday,” he kissed her softly before pulling back, staring into her eyes. “So, I did what you asked: we’re going to have a nice, quiet dinner with hopefully no interruptions, though that depends on our daughter’s mood.”

Charlotte laughed, tears welling up in her eyes. Athos’s eyes widened and he gently cupped her face in his hands. “I’m sorry, perhaps I overstepped—“

He stopped when Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long kiss that he returned.

She pulled back, a bright smile on her face. “These are tears of happiness you silly goose,” she explained.

Athos grinned, kissing her again. “I still have to finish dinner,” he glanced down at the package in her hands. “You should head upstairs and put that on.”

Charlotte wrinkled her nose in confusion. “How did you…?” Realisation hit her. “Did you call Constance and ask her to get my dress ready so you could do this?”

Athos felt his mouth twitch at the irritation in her tone. “No, she already planned to give you the dress,” he smirked. “I just asked if she could keep you a _bit_ longer.”

Charlotte shook her head, looking down with a smile on her face. Athos leaned in, brushing his lips against her head. “Go, put your pretty dress on.”

“So I look beautiful?”

She asked jokingly. Athos frowned, pulling her closer as he said quite seriously, “You _always_ look beautiful.”

She flushed, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek in gratitude. She remained in his arms for a few moments, taking in the warmth and security he radiated before she stepped away and headed up the stairs.

Peeking into the nursery to check on Brigitte, who was peacefully sleeping in her crib with her arms stretched above her head she made her way towards her and Athos’s bedroom.

She placed the package on the bed, slowly untying the bow and removing the wrapping paper to reveal the blue fabric of the dress.

Charlotte picked up the dress, staring at it for a few moments before she began putting it on.

When Athos entered the bedroom, having finished making dinner and covering it up to ensure it stayed warm, he was met with the sight of Charlotte standing in front of the full-length mirror.

He stayed in the doorway for a few moments, taking her in before he stepped forward, placing his hands on her waist.

She turned her head slightly. “Hello,” she greeted softly. Athos smiled gently, leaning in to press a kiss to the back of her neck.

“Do you mind zipping me up?” She inquired, looking at him questioningly.

Athos nodded, slowly moving the zipper of her dress up before moving his hands to her shoulders and staring over her shoulder at their reflection.

Charlotte placed her hand on his, smiling softly. “Constance always did know how to make someone look good,” she commented.

Athos furrowed his brow. “It’s more like she knows how to show off someone’s natural beauty,” he disagreed, watching with pleasure as Charlotte’s entire body flushed.

He carefully brushed her hair over her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her so her back was against his chest.

She let out a giggle, turning around and bringing her arms up around his neck. Athos smirked. “You look quite happy Mademoiselle.”

“I am,” she agreed, her smile bright. “Maybe it has something do with the company.”

Athos chuckled lowly, bringing her closer so he could kiss her. Their kiss intensified as she went up on her tiptoes, moving her hands so they were braced against his chest.

He moved one of his hands from her waist, slowly trailing it up until he reached her zipper. She pushed him back gently, shooting him a warning look. “If you do that, the wonderful dinner you made will go to waste.”

She pointed out, causing Athos to sigh. “Very well,” he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared at her softly.

Charlotte grinned, walking backwards away from him. “Come on,” she called out playfully as she darted out of the bedroom. Athos heard her soft footsteps as they headed down the stairs.

Athos shook his head, smiling as he left the master bedroom, briefly checking in on his daughter who miraculously was still sleeping before he followed his girlfriend.

Later, as the two were seated at the kitchen table and enjoying their dinner, Charlotte was left wondering how she had gotten so lucky.

The idea of any of her past boyfriends doing something like this was laughable, sure, _some_ of them could be romantic but not to these levels.

“I must be boring if you are daydreaming.” Athos joked, smirking as he cut a piece of his pepper steak.

Charlotte flushed. “Nonsense, I quite enjoy learning about how Aramis and Porthos broke three windows while trying to arrest a criminal,” she smirked. “Though I doubt Uncle Jean was pleased with them.”

Athos snorted. “No, property damage is one of the things he doesn’t like,” he agreed, taking a sip of his wine.

Both he and Charlotte were only having a glass each because she was still breastfeeding and he had no desire to get drunk.

Charlotte smirked as she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. “I’m guessing, then, that he didn’t take it well when you destroyed an entire street during a car chase.”

She took great pleasure in watching his cheeks turn red. “In my defense, had I not taken action the suspect most likely would have opened fire.”

She chuckled softly. “My hero,” she moved her leg slowly so she could rub her foot against his leg and watched his eyes go wide.

She let out a gasp when she felt him gently grab her ankle, lightly stroking his thumb over it as he stared at her intensely.

“It would appear, Mademoiselle, that you are rather eager for dessert.” He observed, watching as she swallowed.

“You made a wonderful dinner Monsieur,” Charlotte complimented, her mouth curving up. “However, I feel that I am ready for the next part.”

Athos stood, walking over to her chair as she watched him expectantly. He grasped her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the inside of her wrist as his eyes stared at her heatedly.

He lightly pulled her up so she fell against his chest, looking up at him with soft eyes. “Shall we?” he asked quietly as he placed his hands on her waist.

Charlotte’s lips curved up in a seductive smile. “We shall.” He let out a growl and picked her up, causing her to squeal and laugh before she was silenced by his mouth on hers.

The passionate kiss continued as Athos carried her out of the kitchen and up the stairs, intent on giving her as much pleasure as he possibly could.

After all, it _was_ her birthday.

* * *

 Charlotte shifted slowly, glancing over her shoulder to see Athos staring at her with a soft smile. “Hi,” she greeted softly.

He tightened his arm around her waist. “Hello.” He leaned in to kiss her softly, causing her to let out a happy sigh as she reached up to tangle her hand in his hair and deepen the kiss.

He pulled back, rubbing his nose against hers and bumping their foreheads together. “I have something for you,” he said softly.

Charlotte wrinkled her nose. “I thought last night was my gift.” And what a gift it was, she was quite pleased with it and the dinner was perfect as well.

“That was only part of the gift,” he replied as he sat up, turning to dig around in the drawer of his bedside table.

Charlotte also sat up, watching him curiously as he turned back to face her with a nervous expression. Her eyes widened when she saw he was holding a velvet box and her mouth turned dry.

It wasn’t big enough to be a ring, which she wasn’t expecting in any case; while she admitted that her thoughts had sometimes drifted in that direction she knew it was far too soon for them to be discussing _anything_ like marriage.

She took the box, carefully opening the lid and couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her when she saw what was inside: a simple silver daisy pendant with an amber in the center.

“Athos…” she trailed off, looking up as he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her.

“You always told me daisies were your favorite flower and as for the amber,” here he became embarrassed. “Well, it reminded me of your eyes.”

Charlotte was silent and Athos felt a pang in his chest. “I’m sorry if you want me to take it back—“

He was cut off by Charlotte throwing herself at him and pulling him into a passionate kiss. She pulled back, tears in her eyes as she smiled. “I _love_ it.”

She declared, causing him to chuckle as he kissed her on the forehead before pulling her into a hug, burying his face into her hair.

The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes until Charlotte, reluctantly, pulled back. She looked down at the necklace, then back up at Athos. “Will you help me put it on?”

He nodded, removing the necklace and gesturing for her to turn around. Brushing her hair out of the way he carefully put the necklace around her neck, brushing his knuckles against her collarbone as he did so.

Charlotte glanced up at him, a smile forming on her lips. “It’s beautiful,” she said.

Athos hmmed. “It’s certainly pretty,” he smiled. “But it doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

She blushed. “Such a smooth-talker,” she muttered as she pulled his head down for another kiss.

He returned it, the two wrapped in each other’s arms until a loud cry from the baby monitor caused them to pull back.

“It would appear Brigitte is done being nice,” Charlotte observed, grabbing her robe and slipping it on. Athos chuckled as he pulled on his pants. “Yes, so it seems.”

He couldn’t help but smirk when he saw she was still wearing the necklace, the smirk softened when she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, this is the best birthday gift I have ever gotten.”

Athos pressed a kiss into her hair. “You’re welcome.” She left their bedroom with Athos close behind and as he leaned against the doorway watching her breastfeed their daughter, the necklace glittering in the light, he wondered how he had gotten so lucky.

Maybe he wasn’t as cursed as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The image of Athos driving a motorcycle is something that makes me want to let out an embarrassingly inappropriate sound that would shock my dear Baba to death.
> 
> Also Athos being romantic *squeals*


	10. Shot in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Athos have been together for four months now and it's been bliss, but eventually, the honeymoon period must end.
> 
> Or: Athos gets shot, Charlotte is worried and Athos is a bit more clingy when he's on painkillers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides* for the record I would like to point out I've been asked for hurt Athos so here it is, don't blame me blame the sadistic readers who asked for it.

The silence in the bedroom was almost deafening.

Charlotte watched as Athos moved around, getting dressed while talking hurriedly into his phone. She pulled her housecoat tighter around herself, her knuckles turning white as she dug her fingers into her sleeves.

In three weeks five children had gone missing with three of the children turning up dead and by the time the authorities realised they had a serial killer after the third child had been found two more children had already been taken.

The Musketeers were quickly called in to help, the police utterly desperate for the assistance.

Charlotte had witnessed the toll the case took on the man she loved and the men she considered brothers; the fact that one of the dead children was a young girl made the case personal to the trio, Brigitte a constant thought in their minds.

They would come home exhausted and frustrated, having found no leads. One memory stood out to her: Aramis entering the house with a haunted expression after having interviewed the family of one of the missing children.

There had been a lot of drinking that night, minus Athos, though he still had one glass.

Now a promising lead had just come in: they had been chasing down a possible suspect for the murder and Athos had just received word that the DNA sample they had taken from the suspect was a match and they had enough evidence to get an arrest warrant.

So, Athos was preparing for a raid and, as he pulled out his pistol from the safe hidden behind a painting, she felt a deep sense of fear in her chest.

“Yes, secure a perimeter around the area,” Athos said as he loaded his gun, sticking in his holster. “Stay in position, we don’t want to scare him.”

He briefly glanced over at Charlotte and paused when he saw how pale she was and how her arms were practically squeezing her. “If you have further questions ask Agent D’Herblay or Agent Du Vallon, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

He listened for a few more minutes before saying goodbye and hanging up, his expression softened as he walked over to his girlfriend. “Charlotte.”

Charlotte blinked at him, forcing a smile on her face. “You should go, they need you,” she pointed out quietly.

Athos shook his head as he gently gripped her arms. “Charlotte, you’re practically white and you’re shaking.”

His tone softened. “Talk to me, please.”

She took a deep breath, feeling some of the tension release as she uncrossed her arms. They hung limply at her sides. “I’m afraid because you’re about to face a very dangerous man who probably won’t hesitate to kill you.”

She shook her head when she saw him about to open his mouth. “And don’t say you can stay behind because you can’t.”

 “You are an honorable man who won’t stop until justice is done, and you are so loyal that you won’t abandon these men who are relying on you.”

She smiled softly. “If you had, you wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with.”

Athos was unable to speak around the lump in his throat so he simply pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head while she buried her face into his neck.

The two stood in silence for a few moments, providing comfort to each other, before Athos cleared his throat and stepped back. “I should go.”

Charlotte nodded. “You should,” she agreed with a soft expression on her face.

He kissed her, pulling back to stroke her cheek before he headed into the nursery to say goodbye to Brigitte. He watched his daughter sleep with a soft smile before he leaned down to kiss her forehead, gently running a finger down her cheek before he straightened.

He turned to see Charlotte leaning against the doorway, a smile pulling at her lips.

He walked over to her, kissing her forehead before speaking softly. “Don’t worry, I have something worth coming back for.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Please be safe,” she asked softly, shutting her eyes when he leaned down to kiss her again.

“I promise,” he whispered fiercely as he bumped his forehead against hers lightly.

He eventually left, the sound of the front door quietly shutting echoing in Charlotte’s mind as if it had been slammed.

She let out a breath she had been holding and looked over her shoulder at her daughter, still peacefully sleeping.

“He’ll come back to us, sweetheart,” she whispered. “He has to.”

She hoped that was the truth because she didn’t know if she could handle it if it wasn’t.

* * *

 

Charlotte hummed softly as she folded one of her sweaters and placed it back in the laundry basket; her mouth twitched as she held up a pair of Athos’s boxer shorts.

They looked like your average boxers: white with a black band…except the band had the words PLAYBOY written on it and there was a gold Playboy bunny on the left thigh.

She was certain this had been a gag gift bought by Porthos/Aramis (or maybe both) because there was no _way_ Athos had bought it himself.

Charlotte wondered if Athos had forgotten he had this, because if he knew he would immediately throw it out.

With a mischievous smile on her face she carefully tucked them under a pile of bras and underwear knowing that, while Athos _certainly_ enjoyed removing them from her person, he was too much of a gentleman to look through them.

She finished the final load and turned around to pick up her daughter who had been babbling happily for the past few minutes. “Hello, my sweetheart,” she greeted in a soft coo as she held the baby against her chest carefully.

A knock sounded at the front door causing her to look up, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Why don’t we go see who’s visited us?”

She asked as she adjusted Brigitte to rest against her shoulder. “Hm? Maybe it’s Daddy coming to say he caught the bad guy.”

She walked over to the door, opening it with a smile on her face. That smile quickly faltered when she saw it was not Athos but Porthos standing on the other side, his hands were in his pockets and he had a solemn expression.

“Porthos, hello, what brings you here?” Charlotte greeted him pleasantly, a weak smile on her face as her heartbeat sped up and panic rose in her chest.

Porthos opened his mouth and said eight words she hoped she wouldn’t have to hear.

“Charlotte, you need to come to the hospital.”

* * *

 

Charlotte sat in the waiting room with Brigitte on her lap, hearing nothing but a buzzing sound in her ears. Constance sat next to her, holding her hand tightly

The ride to the hospital had been a blur, she recalled Porthos talking hurriedly into his phone (to Flea or maybe Uncle Jean?) and her hands shaking.

Athos had been shot, he had pushed Aramis out of the way and, in the process, had taken three bullets to the chest. He had been wearing a vest, luckily, but there was still the risk of internal damage.

She looked up to see Porthos and Aramis walking towards her; Aramis had stitches on his forehead where he had hit his head when Athos had pushed and a guilty expression, though she couldn’t fathom why.

Charlotte stood quickly, passing Brigitte over to Constance, and she made her way over to him, frowning when he seemed to be readying himself for something. “Are you ok?”

She demanded, causing him to blink in what she thought was confusion. “Yes, the doctors said I was lucky I didn’t get a concussion but concluded I was fine.”

Aramis explained before falling silent, seeming to struggle with something for a moment before he sighed. “I’m sorry Charlotte.”

The brunette mother blinked in confusion. “For what?”

“For being the reason Athos was shot,” he replied, ducking his head down. “If I had just seen him then maybe…” Charlotte shook her head rapidly.

“No, it is not your fault,” Aramis looked at her. “The only person who is to blame is the person who decided to shoot Athos, the same person who decided to kidnap and murder children,”

She smiled softly. “I do not blame you Aramis.”

Aramis opened his mouth to respond but closed it, unable to speak; instead, he simply pulled Charlotte into a tight hug that she returned before pulling back.

“Charlotte!”

Said woman turned to see Flea and Anne making their way over with Treville close behind. Flea quickly pulled her into a hug as soon as she reached her. “How are you?”

The blonde asked, pulling back and staring at her intently. Charlotte let out a soft chuckle. “As well as can be under the circumstances.”

She looked over her shoulder to see Anne was checking on Aramis, fussing over him while the man tried to wave her off.

Smiling at the scene she turned to see Treville approaching her. “He’s come out of worse before, he’ll be fine.”

She nodded. “I know,” her voice sounded unsure even to her own ears and she felt her uncle reach out and squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m looking for the family of Athos de la Fere?”

Her head whirled around so fast she thought she would break her neck. “Yes, I’m his girlfriend, is he okay?”

She asked, trying to hide the worry in her tone. The doctor hesitated, glancing around at the other people eagerly waiting for news. “Perhaps we should wait until his family gets here…?”

“We _are_ his family.” Constance snapped, narrowing her eyes at the doctor.

The doctor swallowed nervously before he nodded. “Alright then: Monsieur de la Fere took three bullets to his right side, two in his shoulder and one to his chest.”

He smiled slightly. “Luckily, he was wearing his vest so the bullets didn’t penetrate, he’s just going to be in a _lot_ of pain.”

Charlotte took a deep breath, fighting back tears. “Was there any internal damage?”

The doctor shook his head. “No, he’s bruised in a few places and he’s going to need a _lot_ of rest but he’ll make a full recovery.”

Charlotte let out a sound that was a mix between a laugh and a sob. “That’s…really great.”

Porthos wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Is he okay for visitors?” he questioned, causing the doctor to nod.

“Yes, though I’ll warn you he is on painkillers so he may be a bit…out of it.”

Aramis and Porthos shared a grin, remembering all the other times Athos had been on painkillers: he was _very_ talkative and a lot more affectionate than normal.

Treville, likely from past experiences, quickly spoke up to prevent anything from happening. “Charlotte, perhaps you should see him first?”

Charlotte blinked in confusion but decided not to waste the opportunity, reaching out to take her daughter from Constance and slowly followed a nurse to Athos’s hospital room.

She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her when she saw Athos lying on the bed as white as a sheet, swallowing heavily when she saw the bruises on his body.

Her lips twitched when she saw his eyes open slowly. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

Athos let out a loud groan. “Hurts,” his voice sounded groggy as he winced, gritting his teeth at the pain running through his left side.

Charlotte frowned. “Do you need more painkillers?”

She looked over her shoulder at the nurse who was already moving to push the button. Athos made a satisfied noise as he felt the pain slowly subside.

“Brigitte?” He asked softly and Charlotte smiled at him. “She’s right here,” she replied softly, adjusting her daughter.

“Can you say hi to daddy?” She asked quietly and Brigitte gurgled, waving her hands excitedly. “Da da da da!”

Athos chuckled softly, reaching out to grasp Brigitte’s outstretched hand softly. “Hello sweetheart,” he spoke in a low hoarse voice. Brigitte giggled and began babbling happily to her father who let the nonsense words wash over him.

He tilted his head slightly so he could see Charlotte’s face, frowning when he saw tear tracks on her face and reached out to wipe them away.

Charlotte laughed softly, smiling as she squeezed the hand on her cheek. “I’m perfectly fine, I was just worried.”

Athos sighed. “You’re always beautiful, but I must admit that I prefer you smiling rather than sad.”

Charlotte turned bright red, knowing that the painkillers must be kicking in. “I’m guessing that’s the painkillers talking,” she remarked dryly.

Athos made a displeased noise. “Do you think I can’t say something romantic?” His lips turned down as he said this.

Charlotte tried not to laugh at how adorable he looked with his pout. “No, you have proven to be romantic on more than one occasion, but in this case, I think the painkillers are making you talk a bit more cliché.”

His mouth turned up into a small grin. “I love you,” he muttered, bringing her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.

She returned the grin. “I love you too,” she replied, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

Turning she saw the doctor enter the room. “The doctor’s here, so we’re going to go—“

Charlotte was startled when she felt Athos’s grip tighten on her hand. “Don’t leave,” he begged, looking at her with a vulnerable expression. “Please?”

Charlotte swallowed, knowing this was probably a side-effect of the painkillers but at the same time suspected it was something else as well. “Alright, I’m going to come right back, I’m just going to hand Brigitte over to Connie because I think she’s getting a bit fussy.”

Given that Brigitte was rubbing her face against Charlotte’s shirt and yawning that was probably a fair assumption to make. “Okay,” Athos agreed. “Come back soon.”

Charlotte smiled warmly. “I’m not going anywhere,” and if the meaning was something deeper than what he probably meant, well…

She quickly headed out to the waiting room where a group of exhausted people was waiting, explaining the situation to Constance as she passed Brigitte and the keys to the house over to her.

She turned red when she saw the amused looks on Aramis and Porthos’s faces, feeling embarrassed that she forgot about them wanting to see Athos. “I’m _so_ sorry…”

Aramis shook his head. “It’s fine Charlotte, besides,” here he grinned. “I’m sure Athos would much rather see _your_ pretty face.”

Anne rolled her eyes as she took his car keys from him. At Aramis’s confused look she huffed. “As a medic, I’m sure you know that leaving someone with a head injury, no matter how minor, is inadvisable; therefore, I’m staying the night.”

Aramis opened his mouth to protest but was cowed by her fierce look. “Very well your Majesty, I am at your mercy,” he replied dramatically as he bowed.

The blonde flushed as she began walking towards the parking lot, turning even redder when he put his arm over her shoulder (for balance he insisted).

Flea, Constance and Charlotte shared knowing looks that went unnoticed by Porthos. “I should probably head out too, are you coming Flea?”

Flea snorted. “Since my ride just left, yes.” The couple also headed out with Charlotte smiling when she saw Porthos place a protective hand against Flea’s back.

“I should probably go too before Brigitte wakes up the entire floor,” Constance said as she stood, hugging her sister before leaving.

Charlotte turned to Treville. “Aren’t you going?” Treville shook his head. “No, the Paris police are handling the paperwork for the case so I have nothing to do.”

He smiled softly. “Besides, I think you could use the company.”

Charlotte kissed his cheek softly in thanks before turning to head back into the hospital room. She smiled when she saw Athos had fallen asleep in the minutes she had been gone.

She took the seat beside the bed, reaching out to place her hand atop of his as she leant back in the chair to make herself comfortable.

_I’m not going anywhere Athos, I’m right where I need to be_.

Her eyes slowly fluttered shut as her breathing evened out and she felt sleep take over.

When Treville checked in on them with a nurse he found Charlotte resting her head on Athos’s thigh and Athos watching her with a soft expression on his face.

When he caught sight of their observers he held his index finger up to his mouth, gesturing at the sleeping woman.

Treville smiled, turning to leave the couple alone to their quiet bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: the next few chapters are going to be a bit more serious, mainly because I will be introducing Athos's family which means dwelling into his past, which means talking about Milady...yeah, it's not gonna be a fun ride.
> 
> Also slight mentions of being in an emotionally abusive relationship, I won't go into many details but it will be present so yeah, I'll post another warning at the top of the chapter.


	11. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Athos being in pain equals him being even more moody than usual; luckily Charlotte is more than willing to deal with him and show him compassion.
> 
> Or Athos tends to be more self-deprecating when injured and Charlotte and Aramis are having _none _of it__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Athos being injured and more moody than normal, enjoy :D

Athos opened his eyes with a groan, wincing as pain shot through his side when he tried to move. Carefully he moved his head to the side and couldn’t help the smile stretching across his mouth when he saw Charlotte snoring quietly on her side facing him.

He frowned when he saw her eyes were still wet, likely from the crying she had done last night.

To her credit she had held herself together very well throughout the process of getting him discharged, listening to the doctor as he explained the prescriptions Athos would need to take and how he would need to take it easy for a few days.

It was only when they had gotten home and Athos had been getting ready for bed, taking off his shirt to reveal his heavily bruised chest that she had let out a broken sob which caused him to pull her into an awkward one arm hug to comfort her.

He reached out with his good arm to brush a strand of hair out of her face, chuckling softly when he heard her mutter something in her sleep that sounded suspiciously like kerful.

Athos gritted his teeth when he realised the pain hadn’t gone away and he likely needed to take painkillers. He forced himself to get out of bed, his lips pursed in a tight grimace as he stumbled into the bathroom.

He found the bottle of oxycodone on the counter, most likely put there by Charlotte in case he needed to use it. He stood there staring at it for a few moments when he realised it would be rather difficult to open the bottle with one hand.

“Athos?”

Charlotte asked as she stood in the doorway of the bathroom. She frowned when he turned to face her, the pain clearly evident on his face.

 “I…” he hesitated, glancing over at his medication. Charlotte caught on. “I see,” she replied as she walked over to unscrew the cap.

She shook out the correct dosage and handed it to Athos with a glass of water. He thanked her quietly before swallowing the pills and drinking the water.

She watched quietly as he gained his colour back. “Are you feeling better?” She reached up to gently rub his shoulder, careful of his bruises.

He nodded. “A little yes, thank you,” he replied softly. “I should probably shower…”

Charlotte nodded her head in agreement. “You probably should,” she wrinkled her nose. “You smell like a hospital.”

Athos chuckled, only to wince. “I’m afraid laughing is not as enjoyable as it usually is.”

She apologised softly, leaning up to kiss his cheek before leaving to give him some privacy. He paused and let out an angry sound when he realised, in his condition, he was unable to properly shower; heck he couldn’t even _undress_.

Charlotte must have come to that realisation as well because he heard a knock at the door. “Athos, do you need help?”

Of course, he knew he did, but that didn’t mean he wanted to admit it. “I’m fine,” he replied crossly, scowling at the shower as if it had offended him personally.

“Athos—“

“I said I’m fine, so _go away!”_ Athos exclaimed harshly, causing Charlotte to fall silent. Athos shut his eyes tightly, feeling sick with guilt at having snapped at her when she only wanted to help him.

The door opened quietly to reveal Charlotte, who warily entered the bathroom. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments as the tension built in the room, the door closing quietly as if it was aware of the tension.

“Charlotte I’m…” he swallowed heavily, letting his hair fall into his face as he ducked his head unable to voice the regret he felt at having spoken so harshly to her.

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and he slowly looked up to see his girlfriend smiling at him understandingly. “I know, I realise this is probably hard for you,”

Charlotte chuckled. “I’m familiar with men who hate to be coddled when they’re injured or sick,” she smirked. “Uncle Jean can be quite stubborn when it comes to being told to take it easy.”

Athos chuckled, imagining Treville’s reaction to being told to rest: he could be an ornery old bastard if it came down to it.

Her expression softened. “You’re upset because you feel useless, which you _shouldn’t_ ,” she said in a serious tone as she stared at him. “You were injured in the line of duty, you have earned the right to rest and doing so isn’t a bad thing.”

Athos sighed heavily. “I’ve been told that before, it’s just…” he growled. “I hate having to ask for help, I hate feeling _weak_.”

Charlotte shook her head, moving closer so she could carefully rest her hand on the non-bruised side of his chest. “Asking for help is _not_ a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength.”

Athos let out another sigh, bringing his forehead down to rest against hers. Charlotte made a soft noise. “We’re partners Athos, that means we help each other through thick and thin, we stand by each other even when it’s hard.”

She pulled back to smile at him. “Let me help you Athos, please.”

Athos nodded, feeling his heart swell up with emotion and wishing he could pull her into a full hug; the most he was able to do was a one-armed hug that didn’t feel as fulfilling but got the job done.

Admittedly the process of cleaning himself was awkward as Charlotte had to help him get undressed, something that hadn’t been done since he was a _child_ , and then hop into the shower with him.

He did have to admit though, having Charlotte wash him was rather relaxing since she was incredibly gentle while doing it.

The view wasn’t that bad either, as he had a full view of her soaked shirt (which was his, now that he thought about it) showing the outline of her chest perfectly.

Charlotte must have noticed it too because she flushed bright red and narrowed his eyes at him. “No.”

Athos smirked at her, stepping closer. “Are you sure because there are _so_ many things we could do…” he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver with pleasure.

She shook her head. “You know I find you attractive,” she said as she looked up at him, a smirk forming on her lips. “But you being in pain is _not_ a turn-on, so stop that now.”

Athos sighed, narrowing his eyes at her. “You’re evil, you know that?”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because I had a surprise planned for you when you got cleared for _physical_ activity.”

Athos gulped, feeling the lower half of his body rise to attention. He turned bright red because god this was so _not_ what he wanted in this moment.

Charlotte, thankfully, smiled sympathetically and ignored it as she continued washing him.

Athos smiled softly at her. “How did I get so lucky?” he wondered, causing her to laugh. “I think I should be asking that,” she replied as she kissed him.

The kiss continued for a few minutes until Athos pulled back, his face turning bright red. Charlotte giggled. “I’m guessing I should leave now?”

Athos cleared his throat. “That would probably be best, yes.”

Charlotte smiled at him, kissing him again before hopping out of the shower and exiting the bathroom, leaving Athos alone to finish cleaning himself and getting his little _problem_ under control.

To her credit, she didn’t bring it up when he came down, only smiled and kissed him on the cheek before asking if he wanted an omelette.

She was, he privately thought, absolutely _perfect_.

* * *

 

Athos smiled as he watched Brigitte play with her O-ball. Charlotte was in the kitchen preparing dinner and since he had nothing else to do he agreed to watch his daughter.

It was rather easy since it meant he could sit on the couch and relax, and quite frankly there was no else he’d rather be in that moment.

Brigitte smiled at him as she waved the ball at him. “Ba ba ba ba!” She babbled at him, causing him to chuckle.

“Yes, that’s a ball,” he agreed, nodding his head.

The sound of the doorbell ringing made him slowly get up. “No, no it’s fine, I can get the door,” he said as he waved off Charlotte who had been coming over.

She turned back to dinner as he sedately made his way over to the door, opening it to reveal a grinning Aramis on the other side.

“And here I thought I would be free of you for at least a few weeks,” Athos remarked dryly, causing Aramis to place his hand over his heart in a mocking gesture. “I’m hurt Athos!”

The man exclaimed as he entered the house. “I came all this way to check on you and this is how I’m treated?” Athos raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed.

Aramis coughed. “Well, I’m just going to say hi to your lovely girlfriend.” Athos stared at him harder, causing Aramis to sweat. “Yes, I’m going to go do that right now…”

He quickly left and made his way over to Charlotte who looked up with a smile. “Aramis, how lovely to see you.”

Aramis grinned. “You are looking absolutely stunning,” he greeted as he gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “And is Athos behaving? I’m surprised he isn’t acting like a moody bastard.”

Charlotte chuckled. “There was an issue earlier this morning, but it’s been sorted out.”

Athos shook his head, smiling when he saw Aramis and Charlotte talking with each other. He walked over to Brigitte who began laughing and holding up her arms to be carried.

Acting on instinct he reached down to pick her up, unfortunately forgetting that he wasn’t exactly in the position to be doing any lifting.

He felt a twinge of pain and let out a pained sound as he quickly dropped to one knee, his heart pounding when he saw Brigitte’s lips start to quiver before she let out a piercing cry.

Aramis and Charlotte immediately ran over with Charlotte picking up Brigitte while Aramis helped Athos up to his feet. “Shh sweetie, it’s okay, daddy didn’t mean to scare you…”

Athos felt like an arrow had pierced his heart at those words, he _scared_ his own daughter. He watched in horror as Brigitte didn’t stop crying, turning to walk away unable to take it anymore.

Aramis watched him leave and turned back to look at Charlotte who looked torn between going after her boyfriend and calming her daughter down.

“I’ve got it,” he reassured her, causing her to smile and mouth ‘thank you’ to him which he returned with a grin and a salute before going after his leader.

He found him in his office, glaring at a painting hanging on his wall. “What did that painting ever do to you?”

Aramis joked, causing Athos to turn his glare on him. “It isn’t your fault Athos,”

Athos scoffed. “I dropped my own daughter and caused her to cry, I think that’s exactly my fault.”

He sounded so broken that Aramis couldn’t help but step forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t do it on purpose.”

Athos laughed bitterly, bringing up his good hand and running it down his face. “I’m a horrible father,” he said in a self-deprecating tone.

Aramis shook his head rapidly. “No, you aren’t,” Athos gave him a disbelieving look. “Athos, you dropped to one knee, right?”

Athos nodded, eyeing him warily. “Yes why?” Aramis smiled softly. “The reason you did that was because if you didn’t you _would_ have dropped Brigitte and hurt her.”

Athos was silent so Aramis continued. “A good parent will do anything to ensure their child is safe, you protected her from harm.”

“You are a good father Athos, a bad parent wouldn’t feel any remorse and if your sulking is any indication you feel it ten times over.”

Athos released a heavy sigh, his mouth twitching up. “Thank you ‘Mis, I needed that.”

Aramis winked. “Anytime, now why don’t we head back, Charlotte was worried about you.”

Athos nodded and followed Aramis almost hesitantly back to the kitchen where Charlotte was waiting with a calmed down Brigitte. “Hey, someone wanted to see her daddy.”

Charlotte said quietly, smiling as Brigitte immediately held her arms out to her daddy. “Da da da!”

Athos smiled as he kissed her softly on the forehead. “Hello sweetheart,” he said softly, smiling at Charlotte who smiled back.

Aramis cleared his throat. “Well, now that’s over with how about we eat?”

Charlotte laughed while Athos shook his head. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of you and your food.”

The four headed into the kitchen, the incident completely forgotten as they sat down at the table and began to eat.

And if Aramis was teasing Athos a little bit more than usual to erase any lingering feelings then that was perfectly fine with them.

That didn’t stop Athos from teasing him right back though.

_“Why on earth would you bring that up?! That was four years ago and everyone came out alive, didn’t they?”_

Yes, everything was _definitely_ normal again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides behind desk* I'm sorry, please don't kill me!
> 
> But yeah, when Athos is sick or injured he's a bit needier and a bit moodier which isn't a great combination so he tends to lash out but Charlotte is used to that crap (she was surrounded by it in her childhood) so she knows he doesn't mean it.
> 
> Also, Athos dropping Brigitte is something that happens to new parents (I'm convinced my sister was dropped on her head) and while if there are any serious changes to your child (ie no crying, vomiting, any bumps or bruises) you should get them checked out ASAP but for the most part your baby will be fine.
> 
> However, I am not a trained medical professional so take my advice with a grain of salt.


	12. Off to Work We Go!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Athos returns to work and Charlotte and Brigitte visit him.
> 
> Also Athos does _not _want to talk to his family at _all _____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just showing Athos returning to work and also setting up the next chapter at the end.

“Athos, welcome back!”

Athos was caught off guard by Flea pulling him into a hug, stumbling backwards. “Hello Flea, it’s nice to see you, now can you please stop squeezing me?”

Flea’s cheeks turned pink. “Sorry,” she apologised, releasing him. “How are you feeling?”

Athos sighed, resigned to being constantly asked this. “I am perfectly fine and ready to get back to work Flea, I assure you.”

“That’s good to hear,” Athos turned to see Treville approaching him with a warm smile.

“Sir,” Athos greeted, causing Treville to smile.

“It’s nice to have you back,” Treville said, pulling the man into a hug. “You’re on desk duty.”

“Sir—“

Athos protested, cutting himself off when he saw the look on Treville’s face, the one that said don’t argue with me.

“You have been cleared for _non-strenuous_ activity only Athos, I will not be allowing you to do anything that could re-injure you and I am sure that Charlotte would not be pleased if you did so.”

Maybe using Charlotte was a bit of a low-blow, but he had enough experience with Athos to know that the man would not take it easy unless you forced him to, the same could be said for Aramis and Porthos.

Athos opened his mouth but closed it, sighing when he acknowledged the accuracy of Treville’s statement.

“Very well,” he smirked. “You do realise this means Aramis and Porthos will be unsupervised, right?”

He heard two very loud “Hey!” coming from a certain direction.

“Yes, unfortunately,” Treville sighed in resignation. “I’m hoping they won’t cause _too_ much trouble, although I’m sure that’s just wishful thinking on my part.”

Athos chuckled, smiling when he heard the two protesting very loudly. “I’m sure they can behave like adults, probably.”

Aramis let out a loud sigh. “I’m offended by how much you mistrust us,” he proclaimed, placing his hand on his chest.

Athos and Treville just shot him a look, a look that said _I’ve been putting up with you for the past six years, I know exactly what you’re capable of._

Aramis just grinned innocently while Porthos snorted, they knew they were lying through their teeth.

* * *

 

Athos let out a low growl, glaring at the paperwork lying over his desk because really, how many damage compensations forms did you _really_ need to—

“What did those poor papers ever do to earn that glare?”

Athos’s head shot up, a smile forming on his face when he saw Charlotte standing in the doorway with Brigitte comfortable in her stroller.

Athos had been granted the use of a small office for two main reasons: one, he had a lot more paperwork than any normal person should have so having a place to do the work seemed sensible and two he needed a place to escape from Porthos and Aramis otherwise Treville would have two members dead and a third thrown into prison for the murder.

Giving him an office was better for everyone involved.

“Hello,” he greeted warmly as he stood, walking over to kiss Charlotte on the lips and Brigitte on the forehead. “To what do I owe the pleasure of being visited by such lovely ladies?”

Charlotte giggled. “Well, I thought you might be hungry so…”

She pulled out plastic containers and Athos reached out to immediately take one of the containers. “You are an angel.”

Charlotte blushed, looking over her shoulder as she began unpacking the rest of the lunch.  “I brought some food for Aramis and Porthos too, but they appear to not be here…”

Athos snorted as he took a bite of the spicy sausage pasta. “Their loss then.”

His girlfriend raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly as she tickled the undersides of Brigitte’s feet causing the girl to giggle. “You just want us to yourself.”

His expression softened. “Of course, why would I not want to spend time alone with you?”

Charlotte smiled brightly at him and leaned in to kiss him. “Always a charmer,” she muttered against his lips causing him to chuckle as he pulled back.

The two ate and chatted about little random things such as Charlotte getting a new commission and the boys investigating the kidnapping of the girlfriend of a businessman.

A knock at the door made the two turn their heads. “Come in,” Athos called out, a bit irritated at the interruption.

The door opened to reveal Aramis and Porthos. “Hey Athos, we came by to-is that Charlotte’s mac and cheese?”

Aramis suddenly asked, hurrying to take a seat and grabbing one of the containers ignoring the look Athos was shooting him.

Porthos rolled his eyes but didn’t hesitate to take a container as well and plopped down into another chair.

Athos sighed heavily, causing Charlotte to laugh. “Did you actually have some information for me or did you just come because you smelt the food?”

Aramis shook his head, his voice rather muffled because of the food in his mouth. “Yes, actually we found someone who said they saw Mademoiselle Durand get into a car with a rather handsome young man.”

His team leader raised an eyebrow. “She got into the car willingly?”

Porthos nodded, taking another bite of his orange chicken and resisting the urge to moan. “There were street cams nearby that took a picture so we showed it around to her friends and they admitted that they had seen the man with her before and they were rather _intimate_ with each other.”

“Turns out the devoted girlfriend has been having an affair for about two months now,” Aramis added, waggling his eyebrows which caused Charlotte to giggle.

“So, she _wasn’t_ kidnapped after all,” Athos noted dryly, making a note to inform Monsieur Moreau about it.

“I don’t understand,” the three men turned to look at a confused Charlotte. “Why did she fake her kidnapping? Why didn’t she just leave him?”

“Because,” Athos began, sounding amused and resigned. “If she simply left him, she would lose the money and the lifestyle she is accustomed to.”

“By faking a kidnapping, she can get a sufficient ransom that will allow her and her lover to live comfortably for the rest of their lives…or at least they _would_ have, it seems like that won’t be happening now.”

Charlotte shook her head. “I don’t understand how anyone could enter a relationship solely based on how much money the other person makes.”

She smiled when Brigitte waved her arms at her, babbling happily. “No one could be happy in a relationship like that, not really, loving the person even with all their flaws is the most important part.”

Aramis grinned at her. “And that is why you are a truly wonderful woman my dear Charlotte.”

Charlotte flushed at his compliment, grinning back at him.

Athos shook his head, smiling as he dug his phone out of his pocket after hearing it go off, his expression darkening when he saw the screen.

Charlotte frowned. “Who is it?”

He shook his head, putting the phone back in his pocket.  “No one important, don’t worry,” he replied, ignoring the looks exchanged between Porthos and Aramis.

Charlotte wrinkled her nose but didn’t comment as she handed Brigitte one of her stroller toys, kissing him goodbye before leaving with Brigitte.

Aramis watched them leave before turning his attention back to Athos who was on his computer. “Alright, spill.”

He watched as Athos looked up, an eyebrow raised. “Spill what?”

Porthos snorted. “Athos, there are only two things that put that specific expression on your face: _her_ and your family.”

“I’m impressed, you didn’t curse when you mentioned her!” Aramis commented cheerfully, causing Porthos to chuckle. “I know, pretty proud myself.”

Athos glared at them. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Aramis clearly wasn’t buying it. “Athos, Porthos and I have known you for six years.”

Opening his mouth to issue another retort of denial Athos closed his mouth, sighing when he realised that they would keep pushing. “It was my cousin Louise.”

Seeing their expectant looks he elaborated. “I have to meet with her and the board of directors and she wants to have lunch before.”

Admittedly Athos had so many cousins that Porthos had trouble keeping them straight, especially since Athos _barely_ mentioned them, but he knew Louise very well or at least knew who she was: she was the same age as Athos, the eldest child of his father’s only sister, and was the president and CEO of Groupe Laurent.

Groupe Laurent was the “family business”, a privately-held corporation worth nearly five billion Euro. Porthos wasn’t sure of the _exact_ details but there was apparently a lot of insurance and real estate and a lot more that he doesn’t know but what he _does_ know is it’s a whole lot of money.

In a way, he can understand why Athos always seemed to keep his distance from people, having that much money was asking to be used, which was what _she_ did.

Porthos shook his head, clearing his head of the murderous thoughts he was having. “So why didn’t you tell Charlotte? Not exactly something earth-shattering, your cousin wanting to have lunch.”

Aramis knew it the second he saw the expression on Athos’s guilty face. “She doesn’t know does she?”

Athos pinched the bridge of his nose. “When we first met, I briefly mentioned I had a lot of cousins and when she told me she was pregnant I admitted that I was a member of the aristocracy but that was the extent.”

“I’m assuming you left out the part where you are the Comte de la Fere,” Aramis remarked dryly, and the look on Athos’s face said it all.

He sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “I haven’t spoken with my family in years, not since before, well, everything.”

“The only exception is Louise, and even _that_ is limited to the annual board of directors meeting, I don’t want to speak with them especially since they have nothing but ill will towards me.”

Aramis and Porthos shared a look, truthfully, they had never even met Athos’s family and therefore couldn’t say one way or the other if they actually blamed him for Thomas’s death.

But the fact that Louise wanted to have lunch with her cousin when she didn’t need to…that said a lot didn’t it?

Aramis didn’t point that out though, knowing that Athos wouldn’t believe them.

He stood up, gesturing to Porthos who followed suit. “Well, we should probably leave you to the paperwork you likely still have to do.”

Athos chuckled, returning his gaze to his screen as Aramis and Porthos left his office. Aramis paused, however, his hand on the doorknob as he looked over his shoulder.

“Athos?”

The man looked up expectantly. “It’s true that an average woman would leave upon learning about your past.”

“However, Charlotte is anything but average: she is full of compassion and understanding and loves you despite the fact you can be a grumpy old bear.”

Hearing Athos chuckle caused Aramis to smile before clearing his throat. “Therefore, I believe she will not run if she were to learn of it and, truly, doesn’t she deserve the benefit of the doubt?”

Aramis asked, letting his words dangle in the air for a few minutes before shutting the door behind him and leaving Athos to ponder in silence.

Athos sighed, feeling a headache descend upon him and reached into his drawer to take out the Advil he kept in his desk for occasions when Aramis and Porthos required the use of one.

Which was, unfortunately for him, far too often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I did mention Athos's family is determined to not leave him alone to sulk, didn't I?
> 
> On a different note, I mentioned this in my other story, but in six weeks and five days I will be moving to rez then after that will officially start classes so at some point I'm going to busy; I will still be posting updates, in fact the next two chapters are going to be slightly angsty, but there's probably going to be a point where it's harder due to me getting adjusted and all so I just wanted to warn you.


	13. A Horribly Good Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While out on a date Athos runs into an old friend and panics and Charlotte wishes Athos would stop hating himself.
> 
> Or Athos tells Charlotte about his past, but not in the way he wanted to

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Lots of angst and mentions of being in an emotionally manipulative relationship

“This is nice.”

Athos looked over at Charlotte who was smiling at him. “Yes,” he agreed, returning her smile and squeezing her mitten-covered hand. “It is.”

Charlotte squeezed back and redirected her gaze to look at the window displays, her eyes lit up with happiness.

It was now November and the red, yellow and orange leaves were starting to fall which made the streets of Paris look gorgeous as the temperature started to go down.

Athos had healed completely and Constance and Jacques had volunteered to watch Brigitte so they could go out for a little lunch date.

The two of them had agreed and were both happy they had, it had been a long time since they had a date night—or day, as was the case here—and it was something they desperately needed.

Athos didn’t think there was anything that could possibly ruin this—

“Athos?”

He stopped when he heard the familiar voice, causing Charlotte to look at him in confusion.

“Athos? Who is that?”

She asked as she turned her head, seeing a pretty blonde making her way over to them.

“Ninon?”

Athos exclaimed when he saw her, shock clear in his voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a lunch meeting with a client,” Ninon explained, a warm smile on her face. “How funny is it, us running into each other like this?”

“Hilarious,” Athos managed to reply, causing Charlotte to give him a funny look.

“Hello, I’m Charlotte D’Artagnan,” she introduced herself, holding out a hand that Ninon took. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well, I’m Ninon de Larroque; I’m an old friend of Athos’s,” she greeted warmly, tilting her head curiously. “Are you one of his clients?”

Charlotte laughed, shaking her head. “No, not at all, I’m his girlfriend.”

The expression on Ninon’s face was one of utter confusion and slight hurt. “Oh, well then, it’s _very_ nice to meet you then,” she looked at Athos. “I wasn’t aware you were dating.”

Athos cleared his throat awkwardly. “Yes, well um, I am,” he winced at how weak that was.

Ninon nodded, clearing her throat. “I see, so you are on a date right now?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to go out, but our jobs and Brigitte is our priority so…”

“Oh, who is Brigitte?” Ninon wondered, sounding curious. Charlotte blinked in confusion.

“She’s our daughter.”

If Ninon looked confused when she heard about Charlotte being Athos’s girlfriend she looked absolutely _gobsmacked_ and, arguably, even more hurt with this new piece of info.

“Oh, I…” she stammered, blinking rapidly. “Congratulations Athos, how old is she?”

Athos suddenly felt like having a drink. “She’s around six months now.”

Ninon’s smile became strained. “I see…”

The atmosphere between the two of them became very awkward, with Charlotte unsure of what to do.

“Oh!” Charlotte exclaimed, breaking the silence as she took out her phone. “Here she is.”

She showed a picture of Brigitte that Constance had just sent her to Ninon, who smiled brightly. “She’s beautiful, I can see a lot of you in her Athos.”

Athos didn’t know how to respond, so he just nodded.

Ninon straightened up, clearing her throat. “Well, I should leave you two to get back to your date,”

Turning to leave she stopped, turning back to face them as she bit her lip, hesitating before she spoke. “I was supposed to have dinner on Friday with some colleagues but unfortunately they’ve bailed on me,”

“The reservation was hard to make so I don’t want to cancel them but at the same eating alone would be rather boring,”

She bit her lip. “Would you two be interested in joining me?”

Athos was taken aback. “I…thank you for the offer Ninon, but unfortunately I don’t—“

He was cut off by Charlotte. “We’ll have to check our schedules, but I don’t think there’ll be any problems with us joining you.”

Ninon beamed at her while Athos stared at her. “Great, here let me just give you my contact info…”

Charlotte nodded as she typed Ninon’s contact information into her phone, saying goodbye to her before turning back to Athos who was still staring at her. “Athos?”

Athos just grunted, releasing her hand and turning away. “We should head back.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Why? I thought we were going to go for a walk in the park…”

“I’m not in the mood anymore.”

Charlotte bit her lip, wondering what could have soured his mood so quickly but decided to wait until they got home to question him.

Hopefully, he’ll have calmed down enough to talk to her.

* * *

 The ride back was filled with tense silence and arriving at the house didn’t alleviate that; Constance and Jacques both seemed to catch on, Constance quietly asking Charlotte if Athos was alright.

Charlotte reassured her sister that Athos was just a little moody so they left after handing her the baby monitor and explaining Brigitte went down for her nap a few minutes ago.

Releasing a soft sigh, she made her way into the kitchen where Athos was seated at the island, glaring at something on his computer screen.

Placing the monitor on the counter beside her she crossed her arms over her chest. “Athos?”

He didn’t respond, still glaring at the screen. “Athos.”

She tried again, but he still ignored her. She let out a huff, annoyed now.

“Athos!”

“What?”

He growled, bringing his head up to glare at her which caused her to take a step back in shock because he had _never_ looked at her like that.

“What is wrong with you?” She demanded. “When we left this morning, you were happy and now you’re angry.”

Athos closed his laptop with a loud _slam_ , causing her to jump as he stood and faced her. “Why did you agree to have dinner with Ninon?”

He demanded, causing her to blink. “Because she’s an old friend who obviously wants to catch up with you?”

“I thought you would want to as well since it’s obviously been a while since you’ve seen her—“

_“You don’t have the right to do that!”_

Charlotte backed up, eyes wide as she stared at a now angry Athos. Glancing over her shoulder to check if Brigitte had woken up, and seeing that she hadn’t, she took a deep breath, feeling her own irritation rise.

“I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have done that without talking to you,” she narrowed her eyes, causing Athos to be taken aback. “But perhaps if I had known about her I wouldn’t have done it.”

“Charlotte…” Athos tried, slightly calmer now but Charlotte cut him off.

“Because I didn’t know _anything_ about her, considering you’ve never mentioned her before,” Charlotte continued, feeling some of her pent-up anger starting to release.

Because, outside of Aramis and Porthos, Athos had never mentioned any friends or even his family. And the fact that, apparently, he hadn’t even told one of his old friends that they were dating and had a daughter together only added to her anger.

“How much do you really care for me?” Charlotte demanded. “Because Ninon didn’t know about me or Brigitte, so it can’t be a lot.”

“Charlotte, I _love_ you and Brigitte you know that,” Athos insisted and Charlotte laughed bitterly.

“Really? Because it feels like I don’t know you at _all_!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You’ve never talked about your family or your childhood—“

“Charlotte—“

“—and I told you about mine so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t—“

“Charlotte—“

“Hell, I don’t even know about your _first_ marriage, you owe that much don’t you? _”_

Athos knew Charlotte was upset, a lot of his anger had diminished leaving him with just guilt at hiding everything from her for so long, but the instant she mentioned his first marriage and, indirectly, Anne brought his anger back to the surface.

So, he snapped and said something he instantly regretted.

“ _I don’t owe you anything!”_

The _instant_ he said those words he wanted to take them back, especially when he saw Charlotte flinch, her eyes filling with hurt.

“Charlotte…”

He stepped forward to pull her into his arms but she shook her head, stepping away from him. Wrapping her arms around herself she tried to comfort herself while fighting back tears.

Athos felt like he was drowning, trying to grab onto something to say because he didn’t mean what he said, he owed Charlotte _everything_ and god why did he have to be an asshole?

He opened his mouth to try and apologize again but was cut off by the sound of Brigitte waking up from the monitor.

“She’s probably hungry, I should go feed her.”

Charlotte said quietly, grabbing the monitor and leaving the kitchen. Athos quietly followed her and watched her head up the stairs, not even sparing him a glance.

Athos let out a groan, bringing his hand up to his forehead as he realized just how badly he screwed up.

* * *

To say the next few hours after their fight was torture would be an understatement.

Athos had to go back to work and his horrible mood meant everyone kept their distance from him, watching him fearfully out of the corner of their eyes. Aramis and Porthos tried to get him to tell them what was wrong but backed off once he gave them “the look”.

Returning home was nerve-racking for him as he expected to see Charlotte yelling at him as soon as he got through the door or, worse, packing to leave.

Instead, she was in the kitchen, preparing dinner while Brigitte was seated in her bouncer waving her hands happily.

Athos walked over and picked up Brigitte to give her a kiss, peeking over her head to see Charlotte wasn’t even looking at him.

Swallowing heavily, he walked over to kiss her on the cheek, his heart sinking when she moved away and he realized she was still mad at him.

Which he expected, to be honest.

Sighing he placed Brigitte back in her bouncer and sat down at the island to look through his emails, sitting in an awkward silence that made him miss Charlotte happily chattering on about what Brigitte had done or what she had been working on.

The silence lasted through dinner as well, the two of them sitting next to each other but not talking, only looking down at their food.

He got up to do the dishes while Charlotte gave Brigitte a bath and he made some comment that got Charlotte to smile a little, which made him pleased and a bit hopeful.

Having finished the dishes, he walked up the stairs and paused when he heard the familiar sound of Charlotte’s soft laughter.

Following the sound, he found himself frozen in place as he watched Charlotte gently washing Brigitte in her baby tub that was currently in the bathtub.

Feeling herself being watched she looked up to see Athos leaning against the doorway and she smiled, not a small one, but a real one.

“Look, Brigitte, it’s Daddy,” she said as she dried Brigitte off, wrapping her in a towel. “Do you want to Daddy to see how clean you are?”

She walked over with a gentle smile still on her face, handing Brigitte off to Athos who smiled as he kissed the top of her head. “Your mother did a good job washing you.”

He brought his head up to meet Charlotte’s gaze and swallowed when he saw the love in her eyes, not just for Brigitte but for him.

 _I’m sorry_ , he tried to say with his eyes. Charlotte smiled softly, nodding her head as if to say _I’m sorry too_.

“I believe, after having a warm bath, you must be sleepy Brigitte,” Athos commented dryly as he began carrying her to her nursery. “But first, we need to get you changed into your warm pyjamas.”

Charlotte followed them, placing her hand on the doorway as she watched Athos ask Brigitte in a serious voice if she wanted the onesie with the pink flowers or the one with different colored hearts.

“The hearts?” Athos questioned with a smile on his face as he begun putting the onesie on Brigitte. “I agree, the hearts are so much better.”

Unable to help herself Charlotte let out a giggle, causing Athos to look up and flush when he saw her standing there.

She entered the nursery with a smile while Athos slowly placed Brigitte in her crib.

“Goodnight _mia cara_ ,” she whispered softly as she ran her hand gently down her cheek.

“May your dreams be filled with nothing but light and hope.”

Turning to leave Charlotte headed into the bedroom, getting ready for bed as she usually did, feeling slightly more nervous because of the conversation she was about to have.

Her head snapped up when she heard Athos enter, she saw him standing still as if he was hesitating. She took a step forward and so did he.

“Charlotte I’m sorry—“

“Athos I’m sorry—“

They began speaking at the same time, stopping and laughing softly at themselves.

“You go first,” she said softly.

Athos nodded slowly, reaching out to take her hand and pleased when she didn’t try to stop him. “I’m sorry for what I said, I didn’t mean any of it,”

“I owe you so much, Charlotte.” He finished in a soft voice, stepping closer so they were now face to face.

Charlotte smiled softly, squeezing his hand. “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have agreed to something without talking to you first.”

She bit her lip, seeming to debate with herself. “Charlotte?” Athos asked. “If there’s something you want to ask me, you can.”

Charlotte seemed to deflate with his words, letting out a soft sigh. “Athos, Ninon is one of your oldest friends, right?” At his nod, she continued. “And from the way she talked you were close,”

“So why have you not seen each other? What made you stop talking to each other?”

Silence followed after she finished talking, as the expression on Athos’s grew more and more morose and Charlotte felt guilty for bringing up something that clearly affected Athos.

“Athos, you don’t have to tell me if—“

“No,” Athos cut her off gently, a small self-deprecating smile on his face. “No, I do, I should it’s just…”

He paused, squeezing her hand a little tighter as if trying to hold onto her. “I’m afraid, that if I tell you, you’ll leave.”

Charlotte blinked in shock. “I won’t Athos,” she promised softly, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

“There is nothing about you that could make me leave.”

Athos chuckled a little, thinking to himself _are you sure?_

Still, Aramis’s words came back to him and he knew he couldn’t keep doing this, couldn’t lie to Charlotte, if he was going to be in a relationship with her then he needed to lay his whole hand out.

He just hoped she was willing to stay because he didn’t think he could handle losing her.

Gesturing for her to sit on the edge of the bed he sat beside her, still holding her hand as if he needed it as an anchor.

“I told you my family belonged to the aristocracy?” She nodded and he sighed. “I didn’t tell you how—I suppose high-ranked is the right word—we were.”

“Charlotte, I am the Comte de la Fere.”

“Oh.” She knew it was a rather lackluster response to something so huge, but that was all she could say at the moment.

Her boyfriend was a _Comte_ , he wasn’t just a member of an aristocratic family, no he was the _head._

It was very shocking to learn, but…

“That doesn’t change how I feel about you Athos,” Charlotte insisted, smiling at him. “So, you’re a Comte, that doesn’t suddenly affect our relationship.”

“Although…” Athos gave her a nervous look. “That does explain a lot about your attitude, I guess being a Comte means you’re used to people bending to your will huh?”

She said this in a joking tone and Athos couldn’t help but laugh. “I suppose people did tend to kneel at my feet,” he remarked dryly.

“It got rather old after a while.”

Charlotte giggled, causing him to smile at her. That smile disappeared, however, and his look became more serious.

“That isn’t all I have to tell you Charlotte, I…I want to tell you about my first marriage.”

“Okay,” she replied in a gentle voice, squeezing his hand while keeping the feelings of jealousy from rising in her chest.

Hearing about the woman who Athos had loved enough to marry…was not going to be easy for her, to say the least.

She knew, of course, that she wasn’t the first woman Athos had been with but hearing about one of them wasn’t something she had been looking forward to.

But this was something Athos _needed_ to do, so she was going to push aside her own feelings and listen.

“You know I was in the military for five years,” he began, shifting nervously as he tried to prepare himself to relive it all.

“I got honorably discharged when I was twenty-six, and for the first time in a long time I had no purpose, no direction of what I wanted to do with my life; I was lost.”

“My family held a lot of parties, it was standard for the nobility, and because I was the Comte de la Fere I had to attend a lot of them,” Athos snorted. “I hated them so _damn much_ , the stuffy clothing and the stuck-up people—I just wanted to leave.”

“At one of these parties,” he stopped, taking a deep breath and Charlotte placed a hand on his shoulder. “At one of these parties was where I met _her_.”

“She had dark hair, bright green eyes and a smile that seemed designed to draw men in,” he paused, recollecting his thought as the memories played back like an old film reel. “She was _surrounded_ by them, and seemed so comfortable being the center of the attention—she loved it.”

“I had been watching her out of the corner of my eye for a while when she saw me watching her; I panicked, thinking she was about to tear into me for stalking her when she made her way over.”

“She said that she had been eying me as well and was impressed with me, more so than any other man she had met that night,” he let out a bitter laugh. “Now that I think back on it, she was purposely flattering me…and it worked.”

“She suggested we leave the party, go someplace quieter like my flat, and I agreed,” here he flushed a bit. “I, um—“

“I know,” Charlotte cut in softly, her lips twitching slightly. Athos sighed in relief, not really wanting to go into details.

“After that, it was the definition of a whirlwind romance, we were engaged within two months of that night.”

“My family,” Athos paused, his expression pained. “My family did not like Anne very much, in fact, they hated her. The feeling was mutual.”

He remembered the constant fights, the cold shoulders his family gave his new wife. Anne gave as good as she got though.

“Shortly after our marriage, I joined the police force,” he snorted. “Anne wasn’t pleased, she didn’t like the long hours and didn’t understand why I couldn’t just not work.”

“Because you are not the type of man who could do nothing,” Charlotte interrupted to Athos’s amusement. “You need a purpose and helping people is the one thing you’ve always wanted to do.”

She flushed when she saw Athos smiling warmly at her. “Yes well, Anne didn’t understand that and she made sure I knew that.”

His expression became morose as he recalled how Anne had slowly worked her influence over him, at first it was small things: she would suggest where they went out to eat, where they shopped, who they hung out with.

Then it became bigger as she would stop him from going out with his friends, or seeing his family or even being able to spend time alone.

Every time he tried to argue with her she would play the victim and make him appear to be at fault, to the point where he felt so guilty that he stopped trying to fight with her. He would buy her ridiculously expensive things to make her happy and allowed her free-reign of his bank account, he was honestly surprised he wasn’t broke.

She controlled everything about him, she would flatter him one day and then belittle him the next. She wanted everything to be about her, to the point where he felt like whatever he was going through was more trivial than what she was going through even when it wasn’t.

Their entire marriage was an emotional roller-coaster that felt like it would crash any day.

Lost in his own thoughts he was startled when he felt a warm hand on top of his, looking up to see Charlotte giving him a warm and reassuring smile.

He returned the smile and squeezed her hand tightly before continuing. “My family kept trying to talk to me, to convince me to leave her, but I became angrier with them and I thought they didn’t want me to be happy even though I know now that wasn’t the case and,”

He stopped, feeling his throat close up as he ducked his head to hide the tears threatening to spill over. Charlotte gently placed a hand on the back of his neck and forced him to look at her.

“It wasn’t your fault Athos,” she shook her head when she saw him about to speak. “It _wasn’t_ , she had been manipulating you to the point where you felt that you _needed_ her, that’s what people like her do.”

Athos let out a shaky breath, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug as he buried his nose in her neck.

He spoke against her neck. “My brother Thomas, at first, had liked Anne and had even flirted with her a bit but he grew to hate her like the rest of my family.”

“I’m not sure when he decided to do this, it may have happened after I tried to put money into a irrevocable trust for Anne, but he hired a private investigator to investigate her.”

“He found out that she was using an alias, that she had done so before and had outstanding warrants for her arrest on charges of fraud and robbery.”

“When he went to confront her…” Here his voice seemed to crack. “She shot him, emptied an entire round in his chest.”

Charlotte’s breath hitched and she buried her nose into his neck, trying to provide him with some comfort and feeling nothing but a burning hatred for this Anne.

“She tried to pass it off as a burglary, but I had investigated enough burglaries as an officer to know that wasn’t what happened,” he let out a bitter laugh. “She then told me that he tried to force himself on her, that it was all self-defence and even tried to convince me to help her cover it up.”

He knew that Thomas was a womanizer, even more so than Aramis and that he could get very pissy if a woman refused him.

But he would _never_ force himself on a woman, ever.

“I turned her in the next day,” Athos’s voice took on a monotone tone as he continued. “Her fingerprints were all over the gun and with the evidence that Thomas had uncovered there was the motive.”

“She was sentenced to three consecutive life terms and we divorced soon after she was sent to prison.”

He let out a heavy sigh as he pulled back, his expression empty. “So, there it is, the story of how I killed my brother.”

He averted his gaze, unable to face the expression of disgust that would be on Charlotte’s face: he hoped he would at least be allowed to see Brigitte somewhat regularly—

“You didn’t kill your brother.”

Athos slowly faced Charlotte, a disbelieving expression on her face. “Did you not hear what I just said?”

She nodded. “I did, and you did not kill your brother.” Seeing Athos shake his head she reached out to grab both his hands shocking him.

“Did you tell Anne to shoot him?” Stunned by this question Athos shook his head. “No, of course not—“

“Did you shoot him yourself?” Charlotte couldn’t help but smile at the glare he shot her. “Then you didn’t kill him.”

“From what you told me, everything that led to your brother’s death was because of _her_ actions, not yours: she _chose_ to lie to you, she _chose_ to shoot your brother that day.”

Charlotte continued speaking, trying to make Athos understand as the words came flooding out of her. “You said it yourself, she sought you out on purpose so that she could manipulate and control you: she was a user, she made it so that, in your eyes, she was the only person you could trust and the one person you needed.”

“She was a parasite who slowly sucked you dry while hurting you in the process: it is _not_ your fault Athos, it was never your fault, you were a victim of her machinations and you were _never_ to blame!”

Silence filled the air between them after she finished talking, the minutes ticking by until Athos pulled her into his arms and just broke.

All the emotions he had been hiding, the guilty and grief and pain just flowed out of him and he began sobbing. Charlotte held him tight, fighting back her own tears as she helped him through the flood.

Eventually, his sobbing stopped and he pulled back so he could rest his forehead against hers in an attempt to regain control over his emotions.

“I love you,” he said in a firm voice. “I love you.”

He repeated that again and again because he needed her to know it, he loved this wonderful woman who showed him nothing but compassion and understanding.

Charlotte laughed, tilting her head up slightly to kiss him softly. “I love you too.” She whispered before burying her nose into his neck, feeling him wrap his arms tighter around her.

The two of them stayed like that until he pulled back, keeping his arms around her.

“Athos…” he looked at her expectantly. “I still don’t understand why you don’t want to have dinner with Ninon? With all that happened to you…don’t you want to talk to someone who lived through it?”

Athos sighed heavily, reluctantly removing his arms so he could run a hand down his face. “I don’t want to face her censure.”

“Why would she do that to you?” Charlotte questioned, wrinkling her nose.

“Because Ninon, my family? They all hate me because _I’m_ the one who brought Anne into their lives.”

Charlotte shook her head. “No, she doesn’t, Athos she did not seem like a person full of anger towards you, she seemed like a person who wanted an old friend back in her life.”

Her eyes widened when she realized something. “The text you got before…was that from Ninon?”

Athos looked away guiltily. “No, it was my cousin, she wanted to meet for lunch before the annual board meeting that I have to attend.”

Charlotte’s eyes softened. “You cut off contact with everyone from your old life, didn’t you? You put yourself in a self-imposed exile to punish yourself.”

Athos’s expression confirmed her suspicions. “Oh Athos,” Charlotte said in a sad voice, causing him to duck his head.

But Charlotte wasn’t having that. “Athos look at me,” she asked softly as she placed a hand under his chin and he complied, slowly bringing his head up to meet her gaze.

“You said this was an annual board meeting, which means you and your cousin have to interact correct?” Athos nodded. “Why would someone who hates you want to have lunch with you if they didn’t have to.”

Athos frowned, looking confused and Charlotte took pity on him. “Because they don’t hate you.”

“Your family and Ninon don’t hate you Athos, they don’t blame you for what happened, they want you to talk to them and to actually see them more than what is required.”

Seeing that Athos wasn’t convinced she sighed. “Athos, you are compassionate, honorable man, a wonderful father and the most amazing man that I have ever been with,”

Athos couldn’t help but blush at that.

“The only person who really hates you is _you_.”

Charlotte stated, her mouth turning up in a warm smile. “You have allowed your ghosts and demons to haunt you for so long, isn’t it time to let them go?”

Athos was quiet as he recalled the times he had spent time with Ninon, pulling pranks and getting into trouble. He recalled the times when Louise had stepped up to take the heat for him and Tommy, the times when she would let her humorous side reign free.

Did he really want to allow Anne to continue to darken those times? Did he really want his past to rule his future?

No, he decided as he glanced at Charlotte, he was done with letting ghosts control him.

He would call Ninon and tell her they would come to dinner: it would be awkward probably, but he was okay with that.

Smiling warmly, he reached out to cup Charlotte’s cheek and pull her in for a passionate kiss. The two eventually separated, panting heavily.

“You know what the best part about making up is?” He asked, grinning when he saw Charlotte shake her head. “No, what?”

“The sex.”

Charlotte’s eyes darkened and her mouth curved up in a seductive smile as she pulled him down to meet her lips again, the two of them toppling backwards onto the bed as their hands began to roam.

Later they bathed in the post-coital bliss, lying with their limbs entangled and Charlotte rested on top of his chest while he leaned down to kiss her on the top of her head. That night, he slept as if a weight had been removed from his shoulders

The next morning, while they were having breakfast, Athos took the initiative and called Ninon to tell her that he and Charlotte were able to join her for dinner.

The utter happiness in her voice made him realize that Charlotte was probably right.

The two continued to talk for a few minutes, catching up on old times before he said goodbye and ended the call. He turned to see Charlotte beaming up at him and kiss him enthusiastically on the cheek.

He knew he had a lot of stuff to sift through, a lot of emotions and memories still piled up inside him and he likely would have a few bad days in the process.

But with Charlotte by his side, he could get through them. He knew he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter *sighs* was not easy to write, especially since it's the first real fight between Charlotte and Athos. All couples fight, it's part of a healthy relationship (unless you're fighting to the point where it's all you're doing, in that case, you need to get out right now) but that doesn't mean it was easy for me to put my babies through this.
> 
> But they made up and Athos is going to start rebuilding the bridges he burned so at least that's something.
> 
> On a slightly more serious note, if you are in a relationship where the other person constantly tries to control you and make you feel worthless get out, because you my lovelies, are worth everything. Love yourself because there is always something worth loving.
> 
> I am in no way a relationship expert (considering I'm eighteen and have _not _had my first kiss that's pretty obvious) but I think that makes a lot of sense :D__


	14. Meeting the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Athos is late for the dinner and is worried, especially since his cousin is now joining them.
> 
> He finds that he shouldn't have been worried at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is longer than I expected, but I hope you enjoy.

“Damn it,”

Aramis heard Athos curse beside him and turned to look at his team leader, raising an eyebrow quizzically. “What’s with the foul language?”

Athos sighed. “This meeting is running longer than I expected so now I’m going to be late.”

Porthos frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. “Late? Late for what—oh,” he realized. “The dinner.”

They had been informed about everything that had happened between Charlotte and Athos, not only were they happy that the two had made up but they were also pleased to learn that Athos planned to try and re-connect with the people he had cut out.

But they knew he was worried about the dinner, if Ninon and Charlotte would get along and that fear only increased when he learned that his cousin Louise would be joining them for dinner.

Louise apparently had this way about her that terrified anyone who met her, even men twice her age; it served her well in the business world but that meant Athos worried about how she would react to Charlotte.

“I’m sure Charlotte will be fine,” Aramis tried to reassure Athos, but the man shook his head. “You’ve never met my cousin, she can be very stubborn—“

“—gee, that sounds like someone we know,” Porthos commented with a grin, causing Athos to snort.

“Yes, well, Louise is more stubborn than I can be and her first impression of a person tends to never change.”

Though, considering she thought Anne was nothing more than a liar and a gold-digger, maybe she was just _really_ good at reading people.

“The point is,” Athos continued, trying to erase his dark thoughts. “If she decides Charlotte is someone she doesn’t like then things will become tense and awkward and I _won’t_ put Charlotte through that.”

This was something Athos knew: if Louise decided she hated Charlotte and treated her horribly, then as far as he was concerned she could go to hell.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned about Charlotte, it’s that she has a way of getting through to people,” Porthos commented softly. “I’m sure she’ll win your cousin over, besides you said Ninon liked her?”

Athos nodded hesitantly. “Then I’m sure she already put in a good word for her.”

Athos didn’t agree with Porthos’s assessment but turned his attention back to Treville as the meeting resumed, unable to help the worry bouncing around in his head.

He hoped things would go well, but then, when did _anything_ go well for him?

* * *

_You can do this Charlotte; you’re just meeting Athos’s cousin and his oldest friend, what could possibly go wrong?_

Charlotte tried to reassure herself as she nervously entered the restaurant, feeling out of place in such an extravagant place wearing the dress that Constance made her for her birthday.

Not the _fanciest_ dress she could have worn, but compared to her other dresses it was the most suitable.

She saw the maître de look up, an older gentleman who had many lines on his face from stress, and felt herself blush when she saw him eye her critically, taking in the thrift shop shawl and clutch she had.

“May I help you, Mademoiselle?” He questioned, looking like he wanted nothing more than to—politely, of course—tell her to get out.

She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a firm female voice. “She’s with us.”

Turning her head slightly she caught sight of Ninon sitting down at a far table while a brunette woman stood next to her, blue eyes glittering in the light of the restaurant.

The maître de paled. “Forgive me, Mademoiselle, I did not know you were Madame’s guest, follow me.”

He led her over to the table, pulling out the chair for her with a strained smile on his face. Returning the smile with a weak one of her own she sat down nervously, fidgeting with her skirt before raising her head to meet the gaze of the woman she assumed was Louise de la Fere.

Looking more closely at the woman she could see the resemblance to Athos more clearly: the shape of her brow and her mouth plus her eyes were all features Charlotte could see on Brigitte.

“You must be Charlotte, I’m Louise, it is nice to meet you,” the dark-haired woman spoke in a pleasant-sounding voice, holding out her hand.

Charlotte took it. “It’s nice to meet you as well,” there was a brief pause during which a waiter came by to collect their drink orders (“just water for me, I can’t drink”).

The waiter returned—rather quickly, Charlotte noticed—with their drinks and Charlotte took the chance to speak up.

“So, I’m assuming you googled me, do you want to tell me everything you know about me?”

Ninon had just taken a sip and so coughed out of shock, causing Louise to briefly glance at her before returning her gaze to Charlotte, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

“I’m rather impressed,” she commented in a dry voice very reminiscent of Athos’s. “Most people tend to cower in fear, this is refreshing.”

Her expression changed quickly though, her eyes narrowing and her mouth twisting slightly. “Do you know what happened to Athos—?”

“I do,” Charlotte cut in, meeting Louise’s gaze steadily. “I know enough, and I know that I could sit here and insist that I am nothing like _her_ until I’m blue in the face but that won’t mean anything to you.”

Louise’s eyebrow went up higher and Charlotte took a deep breath before continuing. “Because you don’t know anything about me, and the most important part of that is you don’t know anything about me so ask me anything you want.”

“I didn’t fall in love with Athos because of his money,” she stated firmly, feeling her voice octave raise a pitch. “I fell in love with him because he makes me laugh even when I feel like crying because he’s an absolutely _wonderful_ father and despite everything he’s gone through, he still tries to help people.”

“If that doesn’t satisfy you? Then there’s nothing more I can say to you.”

Charlotte finished, feeling her heart pound as she took in Louise’s expression, wondering if she may have just ruined Athos’s chance of reconciliation with his family.

An awkward silence permeates over the table as Louise picks up her wine and takes a slow sip before putting it back down with a soft _thunk_.

“I was very young when I took over the family business,” she begins, running a finger around the rim of the glass. “Not much older than yourself, I believe.”

Charlotte nodded slowly, curious as to where she was going with this.

“It was just after Oncle Antoine—Athos and Thomas’s father—and Aunt Olivia died,” Louise explained, her voice going soft with what Charlotte assumed was sadness. “The board of directors was panicking because Thomas was already the Chief Financial Officer so he couldn’t take over and Athos had no interest in taking over the company nor did he have the skills to do so and they figured they were screwed.”

“So, you stepped in,” Charlotte stated and Louise’s mouth turned up in a sharp smile. “I stepped in: it took a few months to convince the board of directors though,”

Ninon, who had been silent, snorted. “I seem to recall hearing that you threatened their “family jewels” a few times during your attempts to convince them.”

Charlotte thought she saw Louise’s cheeks turn pink slightly. “Yes, well,” she coughed to hide the redness in her cheeks and Charlotte bit her lip to hide her smile. “In any case after two months, I became the CEO and president of Groupe Laurent.”

“Soon after that, Athos became the Comte de la Fere,” Louise’s mouth twitched. “We used to joke that we were the jailor and executor of the family: Athos could throw someone in jail if they got out of line and I could cut off their finances.”

Slowly her expression shifted. “I’m sure Athos told you that I didn’t like Anne when I first met her,” she said slowly.

Charlotte nodded, wincing. “He said that you could be a bit…” she hesitated and Louise smiled wryly.

“Judgemental?”

“I believe he used the term ‘hard to impress’,” Charlotte replied, causing Louise to chuckle. “Yes, I suppose that is accurate.”

Her eyes darkened and her mouth thinned. “I’m sure Athos, at the time, thought I didn’t like Anne because she didn’t come from any money which was complete and utter _bullshit_.”

Charlotte jumped at the ferocity of her tone when she said the last word. “I could give a damn about how much money someone has: I’ve met people who are the greatest but came from nothing and complete assholes who had money to spend,”

Louise took a deep breath, calming herself before she continued. “The only time I care about money is when it comes to business and, to a lesser extent, when it comes to the family.”

She shook her head. “No, the reason I didn’t like Anne was because of the way she looked.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “I was under the impression that she was quite beautiful,” she commented, feeling slightly sick just saying that.

Louise seemed to understand her disgust for she gave her a soft smile. “Oh, she was attractive all right: it was what was _under_ all that beauty I didn’t like.”

She gestured at Charlotte. “When you talked about how you loved Athos your whole body changed: your eyes got this twinkle in them, you subconsciously were smiling and your cheeks were flushed.”

Smirking at the brunette who was now completely red she continued. “I know you are genuine when you say that you do not love my cousin for his money, it was all in your expression.”

Her expression changed. “I did not feel the same when Anne talked about Athos: at first I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt—she may just be very reserved, I told myself, a perfect fit for my cousin—but I quickly realized that wasn’t the case.”

“When she looked at Athos she didn’t see a man who she loved: she saw a toy she could play with, a prize that she won, an _object_.”

Charlotte swallowed heavily, feeling bile rise in her chest and she found that she had never hated a person as much as she hated this Anne.

Louise sighed, her tone becoming soft and remorseful. “Athos was never one to show his emotions, but he was still happy: he laughed and he smiled, but all of that slowly vanished during his marriage.”

“When we got together it was like we were staring at a shell at the man we knew,” Ninon added softly, tears filling her eyes. “It was as if all of the life he had was gone, sucked dry from him.”

“We tried to convince him to leave her but he wouldn’t, _couldn’t_ ,” Louise’s tone became sharper. “She had him wrapped around her finger, she controlled him completely and eventually she cut him off from us.”

“He would call when we were supposed to have dinner and say that he was sorry, that Anne was sick or had a headache or some other bullshit excuse and they couldn’t make it: eventually he just stopped calling us.”

“Because she told me that if I talked to you I would only hear about your hate for her and I didn’t want to deal with that,” a deep voice cut in causing the women’s heads to turn and see Athos having approached their table.

“Athos,” Charlotte greeted warmly, flushing when he kissed her deeply before taking his seat beside her and take her hand in his.

“Continue Louise,” Athos said, looking at his cousin. “You’ve never been one to start what you couldn’t finish.”

Louise narrowed her eyes before complying. “We were all worried, Thomas especially: he was convinced that Anne had lied about who she was and that we needed to investigate her.”

“And it turns out he was right.”

Athos took a deep breath. “I saw the documents after…everything went down,” he explained to Charlotte who looked at him expectantly. “I couldn’t believe how much she lied, it was to the point where _nothing_ she told me was real and,”

He stopped, feeling his throat close up. “And I felt so stupid for believing her and so guilty that because of me Thomas was now dead.”

“Oh, now that’s just utter _crap_ ,” Louise growled causing Athos to look at her in shock. “Now that we’re sitting here I finally have the chance to say what I’ve been wanting to say for six years so here it is,”

“ _Stop blaming yourself, no one hates you and the only thing we want is for you to stop walking away from us!”_

The exclamation is quiet to not draw attention but still had enough fire in it to get a reaction from Athos who blinked rapidly.

“She’s right Olly,” Ninon spoke, her expression soft. “The only person we blame is Anne, and maybe ourselves too.”

“You shouldn’t,” All heads turned to Charlotte who turned red at the attention. “You shouldn’t blame yourselves, it’s easy in hindsight to say I could have done this, I could have done that but the fact remains that Anne made her choices.”

“The type of person that she was,” she sucked in a deep breath. “She was a manipulator, you couldn’t have done anything because the way she was, who she was? You would have only hurt him in the process.”

“She’s the person who deserves your anger the most, but she’s not here and I hope to God she never is again.”

Louise stared at her intently before a small smile bloomed on her face. “You are _far_ too wise for someone so young.”

Athos snorted, putting his arm around her shoulder. “I’m well aware, her sister’s the same way, I think it may be a family trait,” he commented dryly, smirking when she lightly hit his shoulder with a smile on her face.

“That is not a bad trait to be given,” his cousin pointed out in amusement. “Considering what traits tend to run in our family…”

“You mean the abuse of alcohol or the ability to be complete and utter assholes?”

Athos questioned, causing Louise to let out a bark of laughter. “Either, really, hopefully, the future generations won’t deal with it.”

She gave him a look. “Speaking of future generations, I want pictures of my baby cousin _now_.”

Athos sighed. “It’s nice to see you haven’t changed Lou,” he muttered but complied with her request, scrolling through his phone before holding it out to her.

She snatched it without so much of a word and stared at it, the serious expression she had softening and a small smile pulled at her mouth.

“She looks like you, somewhat anyway,” she commented softly. “She has the family brow and mouth, her dimples I’m assuming she gets from her mother but her nose, cheeks and chin are all hers—“

She cleared her throat loudly, feeling her cheeks flush as she handed him his phone which he took with an amused expression: he could only imagine the reaction the board of directors would have if they heard Louise de la Fere was gushing over a baby, they’d probably think the person insane.

“In any case, I believe we should order dinner since I am _starving_.”

Louise raised a hand to get a waiter’s attention who immediately came and took their orders as no sane person wanted to get on the bad side of Louise de la Fere.

The rest of the dinner was enjoyable: old times were explored and Charlotte, Louise and Ninon traded stories about Athos which left the man flushing in embarrassment and glaring at the women.

Charlotte glanced at Athos and was pleased to see how _happy_ he was, he was smiling and there was a twinkle in his eyes as he responded to Louise and Ninon’s remarks.

He looked like the happy man Louise and Ninon had described, before everything happened to him.

She placed her hand on his thigh and he turned to her, smiling as he squeezed her hand before bringing it up to kiss.

This dinner, he thought as he turned to add his own thoughts to a story Louise was telling involving him, Ninon and a very skittish horse, was the best thing he had ever done.

Later after the bill had been paid—by Louise, despite Ninon’s protests that this had been _her_ dinner—everyone began gathering their stuff to leave.

To Charlotte’s surprise, Louise walked over and pulled her into a soft yet firm hug.

 “Thank you,” The woman whispered in her ear. “For bringing him back.”

Charlotte blushed. “I didn’t do anything, really.”

Louise shook her head. “You brought light back into his life, you did a lot,” she argued before pulling back and kissing her on the cheek.

She walked over to kiss Athos on the cheek as well, whispering in his ear that he found a good woman and he should hold onto her.

Athos chuckled. “I don’t plan on letting her go anytime soon,” he whispered back causing her mouth to twitch before giving him a hug.

“Um, forgive me if this sounds rather blunt,” Charlotte began, feeling her cheeks turned pink as she looked at a confused Ninon. “But I know you and Athos are old friends and I was wondering if you ever…”

Catching on Ninon burst into laughter. “No, god no he’s not my type,” she smirked. “In fact, _you’re_ more my type than he is.”

Charlotte blinked, unsure what to say other than “Oh.” Athos put his arm around her waist, pulling her close and mock-glaring at his old friend who laughed.

“Don’t worry Olly, I don’t think I could get her to leave you for anything,” she said, smiling softly.

“No, you couldn’t,” Athos agreed, his mouth twitching with amusement.

He and Charlotte walked out of the restaurant into the chilly autumn air, he immediately removed his coat and put it around her after seeing she was shivering.

She gave him a thankful smile, taking the arm he offered her and leaning her head on his shoulder as they began walking to his car.

“So…Olly?”

She looked up at him expectantly and was amused to see his cheeks were bright pink. He looked away. “My real name is Olivier d’Athos de la Fere...I was named after my mother.”

Charlotte hummed. “Olivier,” she tested the name and Athos found she liked hearing him say it. “I like it, it suits you.”

Athos leaned in to press a kiss into her hair, hiding his smile. “You were wonderful, you know that right?”

Seeing Charlotte shake her head he stopped, reaching out to take her hands in his. “I mean it, Louise was clearly impressed with you and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Her lips turned up in a small smile, her eyes twinkling as she stepped closer. “She was very nice, not at all like you made her out to be.”

Athos stepped closer, reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear before taking her chin and lifting it up slightly. "She has her moments, believe me," but he didn't say anything else.

There, with the moon and stars watching over them as Athos leaned down to touch his lips to hers, was a sense of contentment that Athos hadn’t felt in a while.

The feeling that his family, no matter how insane, was complete. And it was a _good_ feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Athos reunites with his cousin and learns that his family doesn't hate him yay! On a side note, I imagine Louise as being played by Natalie Dormer because her and Athos are the same age and also I see a resemblance between her and Tom Burke...kind of.
> 
> I'm going to be busy with family stuff over the weekend so it's unlikely I'll be able to post anything but I'll still try.


	15. To Be Invited and Debate on Accepting the Invite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louise's sister Sophie pays Athos a visit and invites him to Christmas with the family.
> 
> Athos and Charlotte accept the invitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy, even though this is me writing Christmas in August.

Athos sighed as he exited the elevator with Aramis and Porthos; they had been chasing a lead and had come up with nothing.

“So, what do we do now?” Aramis wondered as he plopped down in his chair, casually putting up his feet on his desk.

“We have to re-interview witnesses, press harder to see if they saw anything, _anything at all_ , out of the ordinary and…”

Athos trailed off, blinking when he saw a familiar figure exit the elevator. “Excuse me.”

Aramis and Porthos watched as he walked past them, towards the blonde who had left the elevator. They were close enough that they could subtly listen to the conversation.

“Sophie, what are you doing here?”

The woman—Sophie—smirked. “Officially I am here on behalf of a colleague to see if you’ve made any progress on the Bonnet case.”

“Well, we haven’t: our lead turned out to be nothing so we have to go back and talk to witnesses,” he watched Sophie nod. “And your unofficial reason for being here?”

Here she softened. “I wanted to see my cousin who it seems is _finally_ coming out of his cave.”

“I wouldn’t call it a cave…”

“I would,” she insisted as she pulled him into a tight hug that he returned, knowing better than to stop Sophie de la Fere from doing what she wants.

While she was just as fierce as her older sister she was a bit more touchy-feely.

Eventually, the two of them parted and Athos looked over his shoulder to see Aramis and Porthos quickly look away and pretend to be busy with paperwork or their computers.

Athos smirked. “Nice try, this is my cousin Sophie de la Fere.”

At his words Aramis and Porthos shot out of their chairs and made their way over, causing Athos to sigh especially when he saw Aramis put on his charmer expression.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Madame, or is it Mademoiselle?” Aramis questioned with a grin as he kissed Sophie’s hand.

She raised an eyebrow. “You must be Aramis D’Herblay, I have heard _many_ things about you,” she commented dryly. “You have _quite_ the reputation.”

Aramis’s grin became wider. “That pleases me to hear.” He bowed, causing Porthos to roll his eyes.

“Apologies, he’s a bit of a handful sometimes,” he explained as he shook her hand.

“You are Porthos Du Vallon, correct?” Sophie asked. At his nod, she smiled. “I believe a few of my colleagues have lost money to you.”

Porthos grinned. “It’s always nice to hear about people I’ve made an impression on, say I don’t suppose you have some stories about Athos you could tell…?”

Athos hurriedly began shepherding his cousin into his office before she could reply. “You two, start contacting witnesses.”

He saw Aramis salute him before he shut the door. Letting out a loud sigh, he turned to see Sophie giving him an amused look. “They can be very annoying.”

Her mouth twitched. “Yes, but I imagine you wouldn’t have them anyway.”

“No,” Athos agreed softly. “I wouldn’t.”

Gesturing for Sophie to take a seat he sat across from her, watching her cross her legs. “I’m assuming you came here from court?”

She nodded. “Yes, someone was trying to get an appeal, they failed of course.”

“Of course,” Athos said, his mouth twitching.

“It’s a shame you never finished your law degree,” she commented. “We could have made a great team.”

Athos shrugged, there were moments where he wondered if he should have finished his degree and become a prosecutor like the woman sitting in front of him.

Would that have changed anything? Would he have met Aramis and Porthos, met Anne? Would Thomas still be alive, would he have met Charlotte and had Brigitte?

He shook his head, dwelling on maybes and what ifs were useless as they only caused your mind to wander.

“So,” Sophie began, breaking the pause. “Christmas is at Maman’s, and you have been invited—as has your girlfriend and daughter.”

Athos startled. “I’m…surprised, you stopped inviting me years ago.”

His cousin snorted. “Because you never replied,” she remarked dryly. “From what Louise said about dinner, well, we’re a bit more hopeful.”

“Besides, the family wants to meet Charlotte and Brigitte.”

She raised an eyebrow at the expression on his face. “Unless you would like us to meet them at New Year’s…?”

“No,” Athos shook his head rapidly. “God, no.”

Christmas was always a relatively simple holiday for Athos and his family, generally speaking, it was strictly for the family though significant others and close friends could come.

New Year’s, on the other hand, was a big event where the elite and powerful mingled. An unfortunate but necessary evil, Louise liked to call it.

Athos would rather not have Charlotte be put into the spotlight so soon, he could only imagine the snide remarks people would make about her.

Catching Sophie’s smirk, he sighed. “I have to talk with Charlotte first.”

Sophie nodded, slowly getting up and absently brushing her skirt. “I look forward to hearing your decision.”

He walked over to open the door for her, this time only slightly surprised when she pulled him into a tight hug and kissed him on the cheek.

She gave him a small smile before she turned and left, her heels clicking as she made her way to the elevator.

Athos felt his mouth turn up in a small smile and flushed when he saw Aramis and Porthos shooting him knowing grins.

Giving them a look that clearly said _get back to work_ he headed back into his office to finish the paperwork that had piled up.

He didn’t want to miss Charlotte’s cooking, after all.

* * *

 

When Athos stepped in from the bitter cold he was met with a warm house that smelled of gingerbread and filled with cheery Christmas songs playing.

Smiling as he removed his coat and hung it up he made his way to the kitchen, sparing a glance for the decorated tree set up in the corner of the living room.

Charlotte had taken it upon herself to decorate the house for Christmas, saying that even though Brigitte was too young to remember it her first Christmas should still be something memorable.

She put up the tree and placed stockings that had been made by Constance on the fireplace, on the mantle she had put candles into mason jars that had been decorated to have a frosty tint with a red berry garland.

A wreath had been hung on the door and on the coffee table she had put a candle centerpiece: all in all, the house was very festive and inviting.

Athos stopped when he entered the kitchen, a grin forming on his face when he caught sight of Charlotte singing along to the carols while she pulled something out of the oven.

Her hair was pulled back in a bun with two strands framing her face and she wore an apron decorated with candy canes that had been a gift from her sister.

Smiling Athos walked over to Brigitte who was seated in her high chair and happily waving her hands, hoisting her into his arms and giving her a big kiss on the cheek that had her giggling.

Charlotte looked up at hearing her daughter’s laughter, smiling when she saw her boyfriend bouncing her up and down.

“When did you get home?”

She wondered as she walked over to kiss him. Athos smiled at her. “A few minutes ago, it would appear I walked straight into karaoke.”

Flushing brightly Charlotte laughed embarrassingly, turning to put the pan she had pulled out down. “Sorry, I was making gingerbread loaf and wanted to get into the Christmas spirit.”

Athos shook his head, putting Brigitte back into her high chair and walking over to kiss her mother on the cheek. “It’s fine, you have a beautiful voice.”

He grinned when Charlotte playfully hit him in the chest, her cheeks pink. “Stop that.”

Raising his hands in surrender he leaned over to sniff the gingerbread loaf, feeling his mouth watering.

“It smells good, though that doesn’t surprise me,” Athos remarked, smiling at her. “After all, you made it.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes, flicking her towel at him which he caught with a laugh, using it to pull her into his arms and dip her into a kiss.

“As always, you are a charmer,”

She said as they broke apart, slightly breathless. Athos just smirked gently at her, pulling her into a hug.

After a few minutes, he spoke. “Do you have any particular plans for Christmas?”

“Well,” Charlotte began as she pulled back, wrinkling her nose. “Jacques and Constance are going to visit his family Christmas Day.”

Athos nodded. “What about Christmas Eve?”

“Constance has a lot of orders to finish,” Charlotte explained. “For New Year’s Eve parties, plus a few late Christmas celebrations, so they’re just going to have a quiet night together.”

“What about your father?” Athos questioned.

Charlotte smiled. “Knowing him, he’s probably going to spend it with friends—maybe Uncle Jean will join him, who knows.”

She sighed, turning to remove the loaf from the pan. “Unfortunately, it’s rare for us to actually celebrate Christmas Eve and Day together—we’re all too busy—so we usually have a late Christmas.”

Turning back to look at him she furrowed her brow. “Why are you asking?”

Athos sighed. “Sophie—my other cousin, Louise’s sister—stopped by to invite me to Christmas: apparently the family wants to meet you and Brigitte.”

Charlotte nodded, cutting the loaf slowly. “What would that entail?”

Stepping closer to her Athos put his hands on her hips, watching her cut. “Essentially we’ll just spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at someone’s house—this year it’s at Aunt Delphine’s.”

“It’s just the family, we save the big party for New Year’s,” here his smile became fond. “Sometimes the extended family will drop by but usually it’s just the immediate family.”

“And what is your immediate family?” Charlotte wondered, holding a piece of the gingerbread loaf which Athos took and ate.

“My father was the eldest of three siblings, well,” he corrected. “Three _legitimate_ siblings, my grandfather had a wandering eye and had several children with different women.”

“There’s Aunt Delphine, the only girl, and is the mother of Louise and Sophie: she’s where they get their tough nature—she had to be, as the only girl with two brothers.”

Athos took another piece, eating it as he looked thoughtful. “Her first husband, Louise and Sophie’s father, died when they were young in a plane crash: she married her second husband shortly after.”

Charlotte frowned, taking a bite of the loaf. “She married so soon after her husband died?”

Athos laughed bitterly. “It wasn’t her choice, her dear father set it up.”

The way he spoke about his grandfather was rather like the way he talked about his ex-wife: with nothing but hatred and he deserved it too.

He shook his head. “Anyways, her second husband didn’t last much longer and she married a third time but they divorced and she’s never married again: she insists a man would only slow her down.”

“Sounds like she’s quite the woman,” Charlotte remarked and Athos nodded. “Yes, quite the force of nature.”

“Then there’s Oncle Laurent and Aunt Henriette: Laurent is my father’s younger brother and was the CFO of Groupe Laurent but he stepped down and let Thomas take the reins, though he took over again when Thomas died.”

Charlotte watched him carefully, seeing how he would react to mentioning Thomas’s death, but to her surprise and relief he seemed fine.

“They have two children, a son named Victor who’s only a few years older than me and a daughter named Juliette, who’s the youngest of us.”

“The baby then,” Charlotte commented with a smile. Athos chuckled. “Yes, though don’t let her hear you say that: she’s quite the terrifying criminal defense attorney despite her small stature.”

“What about Victor and Sophie? What do they do?” Charlotte wondered.

“Sophie’s a crown prosecutor and is absolutely _vicious_ in court, much like her sister is in the meeting room: Victor’s the black sheep like me.”

“Why?”

“Because he didn’t become a banker or a lawyer, he chose to become a doctor: a trauma surgeon, to be more precise.”

Charlotte wrinkled her nose. “Why did he become a doctor? Not that that’s a bad profession, but…”

Athos shrugged. “He says he hates rules and the idea of having to handle someone else’s money bored him: a trauma surgeon is much more exciting, apparently.”

“He’s a damn good one too, he’s published a lot of articles and essays and has been invited to speak at medical conferences too.”

“Sounds like you were close,” Charlotte commented softly and Athos nodded, letting his head drop. “Yes, I was to all of them.”

“Then we should go.”

Athos looked up to see Charlotte smiling at him. “I don’t have any plans for Christmas and unless Aramis, Porthos, Anne and Flea have something planned…”

Athos shook his head: last he heard Aramis and Anne were both going to visit their families and he was pretty sure Porthos and Flea were going to celebrate with a few old foster siblings.

“Are you sure?” Athos pressed, wanting to be sure she wasn’t just agreeing to make him happy.

“I’m sure,” Charlotte insisted, stepping closer to take his hand in hers and squeezing it. “I would love to meet your family.”

Athos smiled and ducked his head down to kiss her, wrapping his arms around her for a few minutes before he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

Charlotte smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Now, do you want to hear what your daughter did today?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently I'll be posting the Christmas chapters in August, Mother Nature, I just want you to know that this does _not _mean I want there to be snow; I see snow for the majority of the year, I do not need more so please don't give me it.__
> 
>  
> 
> _  
> _Please, I'm begging you...__  
> 


	16. A De La Fere Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Athos arrive at the home of his Aunt Delphine for Christmas. Athos, despite his reconciliation, is still nervous about meeting his family and them meeting Charlotte and Brigitte but Charlotte, as always, is there for support.
> 
> Or Charlotte learns that a love for alcohol runs in the family, as does a fierce love for family both blood and adopted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I re-wrote the last three paragraphs of this chapter because it was very similar to the ending of the dinner scene.

Athos let out a heavy sigh, digging his hands into his pockets as he stared up at the townhouse that seemed more intimidating up close.

How long has it been since he was here? At least ten years, since before he married Anne.

Shaking his head to erase the memories that threatened to consume him he turned to see Charlotte giving him a concerned look while Brigitte babbled happily in her arms.

“Are you alright?”

She asked worriedly, gesturing in front of her with a tilt of her head. “We don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to.”

Shaking his head, he leaned in and kissed her before pulling back to rest his forehead against her. “I want to do this, it’s just…difficult.”

Charlotte nodded in understanding, squeezing his hand which made him smile. Taking a deep breath, he walked forward and paused in front of the door for a few minutes before knocking.

The door opened to reveal an elderly woman with silver curls and a big smile on her face. “Olivier! It is so nice to see you.”

Athos felt his mouth turn up in a grin. “It is nice to see you too Eleanore,” he greeted as he pulled her into a tight hug.

The woman quickly pulled back, her smile somehow becoming wider when she saw Charlotte and Brigitte. “And this is your beautiful girlfriend and daughter, why are you letting them stand outside in the cold? Bring them in here!”

Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the look on Athos’s face; she had to admit, flabbergasted was a good expression for him.

Eleanore moved aside and they stepped in and were greeted by warmth: the entire foyer was decorated festively with garlands and lights hanging from the railings.

“Athos!”

A very happy feminine voice exclaimed, causing Athos to turn and smile when he saw a familiar brunette blur barrel into him.

“Hello Juliette,” he greeted warmly as the woman pulled back to reveal blue eyes shining with excitement. “It’s nice to see you haven’t changed much.”

The woman—Juliette—laughed. “The same to you,” her eyes widened when she saw Charlotte and Brigitte and her tone became softer as she said, “and this must be Brigitte: she is as beautiful as Louise said she was.”

Athos grinned proudly as he took his daughter and kissed her gently on the forehead, bouncing her. “She is, just like her mother.”

Charlotte flushed which caused Juliette to chuckle. “I agree with your assessment,” she smiled warmly as she shook the female Gascon’s hand. “I’m Juliette, it’s nice to meet you.”

“The criminal defense attorney?” Charlotte questioned, causing the woman opposite her to raise an eyebrow. “Is that how Olivier introduces me now?”

Athos felt his cheeks turn red at the smug expression on his cousin’s face. Luckily, he was saved by the arrival of a familiar face.

“Is it time to pick on Olly?”

Or maybe not, Athos amended as he shook his head at the smirk on Louise’s face. “If you’re just going to make fun of me, can we at least do it somewhere comfortable?”

Nodding Louise led them into the living room where it appeared the rest of the family had gathered: Sophie was seated next to an older man with grey hair and chatting with an brunette man.

They turned their heads as soon as the group entered and Charlotte felt her face turn red from all the attention. Feeling a reassuring squeeze she turned to see Athos smiling at her.

Sophie took the initiative, standing up and walking over with a warm smile on her face. “Hello, you must be Charlotte, I’m Sophie the crown prosecutor.”

She said in a joking tone, smirking at Athos who sighed, resigned to the teasing he was going to get. “Charlotte, I would like you to meet Victor the trauma surgeon and Oncle Laurent the CFO.”

Charlotte smiled warmly, letting out a slight giggle when Victor took her hand and kissed it. “It is a pleasure to meet such a beautiful lady, I wonder how my cousin got you.”

“By being a complete gentleman, unlike you,”

Athos retorted as he walked over, placing an arm around his girlfriend’s waist and kissing her on the cheek. Victor laughed, grinning widely.

Laurent stood, walking over to shake Athos’s hand before pulling him into a tight hug and patted him on the back as he said, “It’s good to have you home.”

“It’s good to be here,”

To most people, Athos’s tone seemed normal, but to Charlotte and his family there was clearly emotion in his voice as he pulled back and his expression shifted into one of indifference.

“Stop hogging him Laurent!”

A woman a few years older than said man exclaimed as she entered the living room and quickly walked over to hug Athos tightly.

With silver hair styled in a pixie cut and sharp blue eyes, she cut a very imposing figure and Charlotte guessed this was the Aunt Delphine who she heard so much about.

Her guess would be proven correct when the woman turned to face her with a serious expression. Feeling her heart race as the woman slowly approached her she was careful not to show her nervousness at the look she was being given.

That feeling faded when the woman smiled slightly at her. “It’s nice to finally meet you, please call me Delphine.”

She said firmly as she leaned in to kiss her on both cheeks, causing Charlotte to smile back as she replied, “Call me Charlotte, it’s nice to meet you too.”

After that, the tension in the room seemed to vanish as conversations started up. Athos had gotten dragged into a conversation about whether France would win the cup by Laurent and Victor while the women cooed over Brigitte and chatted with Charlotte.

 Athos felt all the worry that had been building up inside him vanish, watching with a smile as his girlfriend conversed with his family easily, as if she had always been a part of it.

Catching his eye Charlotte smiled back at him, radiant and content as she kissed their daughter on their forehead.

Athos grinned, unable to remember what he was so worried about as he turned back to his conversation.

* * *

 

“You are very good at this!”

Charlotte flushed at the praise that Helene de la Fere, Laurent’s wife, was giving her and thanked her for the compliment but insisted she was only decent.

“Pah,” Delphine exclaimed, waving her hand as she checked on the escargot. “You are a very skilled cook, especially when compared to my own daughters.”

“We’re standing right here Maman,” Louise remarked dryly from where she was setting the table with Sophie and Juliette, causing Charlotte to cough to hide her smile.

She had volunteered to help when Helene had come to recruit Delphine to assist her with finishing dinner: the two women had protested, but Charlotte had insisted as she handed Brigitte to Athos whose mouth was twitching throughout the exchange.

In truth, both women were grateful for the extra pair of hands as Sophie and Louise were—in Victor and Athos’s words—absolute _menaces_ in the kitchen and had been banned years ago after their last attempt ended with the fire department having to be called.

Juliette was a little better, but her overenthusiasm usually ended with many dishes getting dropped so she stayed away as well.

“We need to have a lot of food,” Eleanore commented from where she was watching the turkey with a critical eye. “Those boys could eat a whole pig if they wanted to.”

“We’re not boys anymore Eleanore,” Athos deadpanned as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, a smirk on his face while he bounced Brigitte gently in his arms.

Eleanore snorted, walking over to pinch his cheek which caused him to turn pink. “You will always be boys to me,” she declared which made him turn even redder as Brigitte laughed, seemingly amused by her father’s embarrassment.

Juliette giggled as she swooped in, plucking the girl out of her father’s arms and dancing slightly with her while cooing, “Do you enjoy your father’s embarrassment Brigitte, hm? It is quite amusing, isn’t it?”

Athos sighed, smiling softly while watching his daughter wave her arms happily. Turning his head, he saw Charlotte approach him with a smile and said in a deadpan tone, “My family didn’t take long to start corrupting Brigitte.”

Letting out a short laugh Charlotte’s mouth twitched as she kissed him on the cheek. “You shouldn’t worry, she will always love her father.”

His mouth twitched and he kissed her, pulling back to rest his forehead against hers. The two of them stood there for a few moments, ignoring the people around them until a pointed cough caused them to look up.

Delphine stood there with a smirk on her face as she stated, “Dinner is ready, if you would like to join us I believe Julie has your daughter.”

Thanking the woman with flushed cheeks Charlotte immediately headed into the dining room with Athos close behind and found the rest of the family were already seated.

Charlotte sat next to her daughter who was in a high chair and Athos sat next to her. Juliette sat on the other side and was keeping Brigitte occupied with funny voices and faces.

The dinner table was filled with chatter and laughter as stories were told—mostly about the antics that Athos had gotten into as a child—making the poor man turn redder and redder.

Despite his embarrassment, however, Athos was still as deadpan as ever and even added to the stories being told—pointing out things that had been left out or simply telling a story that painted one of his cousins in a bad light in retaliation.

Charlotte laughed when the stories became more and more outrageous—there was no way Athos could have gotten into a fight with three bulls—and her eyes twinkled when she caught Athos’s eye and he winked at her.

Delphine cleared her throat as she tapped her wine glass gently, standing up when the table became silent and holding her glass as she said, “I would like to make a toast to Athos, who has finally returned to us, and to Charlotte and Brigitte the newest members of our family.”

“I look forward to having many more dinners with you.”

“To Charlotte, Athos and Brigitte!”

The group exclaimed loudly, clinking their glasses together. Athos took a sip of his wine—the only glass he planned to have—and met Charlotte’s gaze.

The two of them shared a smile before looking away to resume conversation, both feeling incredibly content with where they were.

* * *

 

“You know, having you back means Maman won’t get on my back on giving her grandchildren.”

Athos raised an eyebrow as he looked at Victor and remarked drolly, “I’m surprised she would even bother, considering you rarely are with one woman for more than a few weeks.”

Victor blinked before glaring at his cousin who smirked at him. Louise snorted, causing Victor to re-direct his glare to her. “You’re one to talk, when was the last time you had a date?”

“At least I date, not just pick someone up from a bar,” Louise countered slyly, causing Victor to gape at her.

“Perhaps we could _not_ discuss this in front of the baby?”

Juliette asked, raising an eyebrow as she inclined her head at Brigitte, who was happily playing with the blocks she had gotten.

Charlotte laughed softly, snuggling into her boyfriend’s chest who pulled her closer to him. He turned his head to watch his daughter knock over the tower of blocks she had just built, grinning as she clapped her hands loudly.

Laurent stretched from his spot in the worn armchair by the fireplace, checking the time on the old grandfather clock in the corner of the room. “Well, it’s time for me to head up to bed: I’m not as young as I used to be.”

Holding out his hand to his wife who took it he pulled her up and the two said their goodnights before heading up the stairs. Delphine had gone to bed an hour earlier, leaving only the cousins and Charlotte and Brigitte.

Eventually Charlotte began yawning, flushing when she saw amused looks being thrown her way and Athos chuckled. “Perhaps it is time we also headed up to bed.”

Charlotte nodded, smiling when she saw Brigitte rubbing her eyes. “It would appear I’m not the only getting sleepy,” she commented in a soft tone as she stood, walking over to pick up her daughter and carefully cradling her against her chest.

Athos also stood, saying goodnight to his cousins who responded enthusiastically before leading his girlfriend up the stairs, his daughter having already fallen asleep after being in her mother’s arms.

They entered the room they were staying in and Athos went into the bathroom while Charlotte put down Brigitte in the crib that they had been given.

Smiling softly Charlotte carefully ran a hand over the top of Brigitte’s head, staying in that position for a few minutes before leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead then straightening up.

She looked over her shoulder to see Athos leaning against the doorway of the bathroom, his arms lazily crossed over his chest with an equally lazy smirk on his face.

“How long have you been standing there, watching us?”

Pushing himself off he made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Her arms came up to wrap around his neck as she deepened the kiss before pulling back, slightly breathless as she remarked, “That wasn’t an answer.”

Athos chuckled, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers as he replied, “No it wasn’t, forgive me for not answering your question but I simply wanted to kiss you without my family smirking at us the whole time.”

Charlotte laughed, smiling gently as she brought her hands up to tangle in his hair. “I forgive you, now it is time for me to get ready for bed.”

She stepped away and headed into the bathroom to do her nightly routine while Athos, after saying goodnight to his daughter, began pulling his shirt over his head to get ready for bed.

Charlotte exited the bathroom, intent on doing the same thing, but paused when she saw the expanse of Athos’s back revealed to her.

Feeling her cheeks flush she hurriedly looked away when Athos began to turn his head, missing the grin on his face as she changed into her pajamas.

The two climbed into bed, Charlotte shifting herself so her head was resting on his chest. Athos absently ran his hand through her hair before reaching over to turn off the light and lay his head down on the pillow, letting darkness fall as silence penetrated the room.

Charlotte broke through the quiet of the room by asking in a soft voice, “Athos?”

He looked down at her curiously and she bit her lip thoughtfully before she admitted. “I’m glad you decided to come here.”

Athos raised an eyebrow at her in question. “Why?”

Shifting so that she could look up at him she explained gently, “It’s clear being with your family makes you happy,” she reached up to stroke his beard with a slight grin. “And I happen to _love_ seeing you smile.”

Thankful for the fact the darkness hid his flushed cheeks he grumbled something and kissed her on the head before settling onto his pillow.

He shut his eyes and the two of them drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 

Charlotte opened her eyes as sunlight filtered in through the windows, sitting up she felt her lips twitch when she saw Athos peacefully sleeping.

He looked so young when he slept, the lines that normally lined his face having vanished. She loved seeing him like this, without the worry and stress that normally plagued him.

Throwing the covers aside she quietly crept over to her daughter’s crib, checking on her before she exited the bedroom to go and find herself breakfast.

The smell of coffee drew her to the kitchen, where she raised an eyebrow at the scene before her.

Sophie was at the coffee maker, glaring at it as if it would make it go faster and Charlotte had to smile at this as it was similar to what Athos did.

Louise was seated at the island, somehow managing to look put-together even in a simple sweater falling off her shoulder and sweats while drinking a cup of coffee. It was Victor, however, that made Charlotte raise her eyebrow.

His head was resting on top of his arms which were on the island and even the slightest noise made him wince and bury himself further into the embrace of his arms.

“What’s wrong with him?” Charlotte asked as she walked over to Sophie.

The woman looked up, glancing at her cousin as a smirk formed on her face. She turned back to look at Charlotte and explained in an amused tone, “Victor made the mistake of challenging Louise to a drinking contest: he lost.”

Victor lifted his head up briefly to glare at her. “Must you take joy in my misery?”

He grumbled, causing Sophie to laugh as she replied, “Perhaps you will finally learn that Louise has a higher tolerance for alcohol and stop giving yourself hangovers.”

Shaking his head Victor managed to grin at her. “Unlikely, I’ve never been good at listening.”

“Yes, I seem to recall you jumping out of a tree and breaking your arm in the same place where it had just healed,”

A dry voice remarked from beside Charlotte, causing her to glance up and smile when she saw Athos standing next to her with a smirk and Brigitte safely in his arms.

“And who was it who pushed me out of the tree in the first place?” Victor shot back, smirking when he saw Athos turn red in embarrassment.

Clearing his throat Athos turned to see Sophie walk over to him with a cup of coffee in her hand and thanked her when she held it out to him, passing Brigitte to Charlotte.

“I was rather disappointed to wake up to a cold bed,” he whispered in Charlotte’s ear, causing her to flush as she replied quite cheekily, “A girl has to eat.”

He smiled into her hair and kissed her before sitting beside Victor and launched into a playful argument about how he only _accidentally_ pushed Victor out of the tree.

Charlotte smiled as she watched him argue with his cousin, startling when she heard Louise comment softly, “You know, I owe you a lot.”

Feeling her cheeks heat Charlotte shook her head, pressing a kiss to the top of Brigitte’s head as she insisted, “You don’t owe me anything.”

“But I do,” Louise said, glancing over at Athos who snorted at something Victor said with a smile on her face. “Not only did you bring him back to us, but you gave him love and started to put him back together.”

“He wasn’t broken,” Charlotte stated fiercely and Louise had to bite her lip to hide her smile at how protective Charlotte sounded. “No, but he was hurt and you mended his wounds.”

She looked at Charlotte with a serious expression. “You are family now, and if there’s one thing that we do it’s look after family: never forget that.”

Charlotte nodded, feeling rather touched as she replied, “I won’t.”

Louise reached out to take her hand and squeeze it before turning her head and responding to a comment that Victor made rather loudly.

Athos shook his head, standing up and walking over to Charlotte to escape the ridiculousness of his cousin. Smiling he leaned in to kiss Charlotte and Brigitte, pulling back to stare into her eyes as he asked quietly, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Charlotte nodded, her lips twitching as she looked over at Louise who had gotten up and was now walking over to Victor to make her point. "I am," She tilted her head. "

She tilted her head. "Is this still difficult for you?"

Athos looked around, seeing Victor and Louise engaged in a rather loud argument that had caused Juliette to try and play mediator while Sophie watched with an impassive expression as she sipped her coffee.

He shook his head, turning back to give her a warm smile.

"No, not at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm done, yay, next is New Year's which might be released in October XD
> 
> University has been an interesting adjustment for me, I've had to get back into the swing of school plus meeting new people so I find myself a lot more exhausted both mentally and physically _but _I still wanted to finish this before I go on my retreat so here you go!__
> 
>  
> 
> _  
> _Hopefully, you guys are still reading this and I'll try to post the next chapter of this and the Jedi Senator in the next two weeks but I have three assignments due in the weeks coming up so no promises._  
>  _


	17. A New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's New Year's Eve and the gang is having a party, hoping that the new year will contain nothing but happiness
> 
> And there's a lot of kissing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologises for how long this took but I had so many assignments due (and still do, actually) and that's probably why this is so short but I'm also going home for Thanksgiving so I wanted to post something up so yeah, here it is!

“You look _very_ happy,”

Athos noted with a smirk as Flea took a seat across from him, a glass of champagne in her hands. She smiled brightly at him and replied, “Of course, I’m surrounded by good company,”

She winked teasingly at him which made him chuckle as he began looking around the room with a smile on his face.

It was New Year’s Eve and Charlotte had suggested they have everyone over for a party as they hadn’t seen them since before Christmas; Athos thought it was a good idea and agreed.

Porthos and Treville were currently losing to Constance at cards—apparently, she and Charlotte had been taught how to play when they were little and were _very_ good—and Aramis and Anne were off in a corner, looking rather cozy as they talked in hushed voices.

Athos couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that, curious as to when _that_ happened.

 An amused voice spoke up from behind him. “You look rather confused,”

Turning his head, he smiled when he saw Charlotte standing behind him with a smile on her face, dressed in a pink short-sleeve turtleneck and jeans with her hair partially pulled up.

He reached out to take her hand and pulled her so she fell onto his lap with a squeak, cheeks flushing pink as she glared at him while straightening herself.

“Did Brigitte go down okay?”

Charlotte nodded, shifting so her head rested on his shoulder. “She fought me for a little bit but eventually she tired herself out.”

Athos nodded as he turned to press a kiss into her hair and whispered into her ear, “So, when exactly did that happen?”

Seeing her look of confusion, he gestured with his head and she looked to see Aramis and Anne now standing close to each other with matching smiles.

“Oh, they’ve been going out to dinner for a while now,” Charlotte replied, her mouth turning up in a soft smile. Seeing his expression, she frowned and asked quietly, “Do you not approve?”

Athos shook his head quickly, his mouth twitching upwards as he glanced over at them. “No, in fact, I believe they are a perfect match.”

Charlotte smiled, her eyes twinkling as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in while asking in a teasing lilt, “You’re a secret romantic, aren’t you? I’ve seen you scoff whenever Aramis tries to matchmake but you do it too, you just hide it better.”

Chuckling as he pulled her closer Athos replied in a deadpan voice, “Yes, don’t tell anyone or it will ruin my reputation as a grump.”

Charlotte giggled. “Your secret is safe with me,” she promised, making Athos smile as he carefully brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

“The countdown is starting!”

Jacques exclaimed, lifting his arm to put it around his wife as she moved to stand beside him. Aramis walked over with Anne, his hand on her waist which was causing the Spanish woman to turn bright red.

Porthos grinned and made a comment as he plopped down next to Flea, causing Aramis to subtly flip him over Anne’s shoulder which made Flea roll her eyes.

The blonde woman flushed when Porthos leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, glaring when she saw the smirk on Constance’s face and pointedly turning her head to look at the tv as the countdown began.

“5…”

“4…”

“3…”

“2…”

“1…”

“ _Happy New Year’s!”_

The room exploded with noise as someone popped the champagne. Constance let out a loud shriek as she was sprayed, but was prevented from going on a tirade by her husband pulling her in for a kiss.

Aramis grinned at the display of affection and turned to Anne, his expression softening when he saw her flush and he leaned in to kiss her.

Flea watched the scene with a smile, turning her head slightly she turned bright red when she saw Porthos grinning at her. “Uh oh, the last time you got that expression we ended up running from Monsieur Abelard as he waved his broom at us,”

“First off, that was Charon’s fault, not mine,” Porthos retorted causing her to snort in disbelief. “And second, it _is_ New Year’s.”

Flea huffed. “Fine, since it’s New Year’s…” But her face turned even redder when he gently cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a short yet passionate kiss.

The two pulled back, thankful that no one had noticed—though Flea could have sworn she saw Constance smirking at her—and she quickly looked away to hide her flushed cheeks as Porthos began ribbing Aramis about the kiss he had given Anne.

Aramis ignored the ribbing and turned to look at Treville with a wide grin on his face. “You know Captain, if you were feeling left out I could always—”

“No,” Treville said firmly, though his mouth was twitching slightly indicating his amusement. “The last time you set me up, I drank three bottles of wine and had to be carried home.”

Constance turned to look at Aramis, her eyebrow raised in disbelief. “You tried to set up Uncle Jean?”

Nodding his head, the older man remarked dryly, “Yes, it was almost as bad as _your_ attempt.” Aramis whipped his head around to stare at Constance who was turning bright red.

“How sad Madame, that you would criticize me for doing something you have done,” Aramis commented, moving backwards quickly when Constance tried to hit him.

Charlotte shook her head, looking down at Athos who let out a heavy sigh. “We could sneak away,” she suggested and watched the man adopt a thoughtful expression.

“Follow me, quickly,”

Stifling the giggle that threatened to escape her she felt Athos take her hand and began leading her out of the room. The two were unnoticed by their friends as they quietly made their way up the stairs.

Flea shook her head at Aramis, who had challenged Porthos to a card game despite knowing the man was likely to cheat. She turned her head to make a comment to Athos only to find the man missing.

She frowned. “Has anyone seen Athos?”

Aramis and Porthos looked up from their card game. “He was sitting right next to you,” Porthos commented as he began looking around for his leader.

“Charlotte’s missing as well,” Anne added when she noticed the brunette’s absence as well. Aramis grinned as he realized where the couple likely was.

“It would appear,” he began, giving the blonde woman a lascivious wink. “That our hosts have abandoned us to have their own private celebration.”

Alexandre turned green as he quickly caught onto the man’s meaning. “I did not need that image in my head Agent D’Herblay.”

Aramis had the grace to look apologetic as he turned back to his game. Anne shook her head, smiling as she sat down next to Flea. “Charlotte and Athos seemed to have left us to play babysitter for Aramis and Porthos.”

Flea nodded, a small grin forming on her face when she heard Aramis exclaim loudly when Porthos won yet again. “It would seem so.”

Her expression softened as her gaze wandered to where Athos had sat, remarking quietly. “I am not upset though, I am happy that Athos has decided to seek out his happiness.”

“God knows he deserves it.”

Anne nodded her agreement, lifting her glass as she said in a quiet tone, “To Athos, for finally getting what he deserves.”

“To Athos,” Flea echoed, clinking her glass with the other woman and letting the familiar laughter of Porthos wash over her with warmth.

* * *

 

Charlotte and Athos didn’t pay any attention to the noise coming from downstairs as they laid on the floor in front of the fireplace in the master bedroom, completely naked and wrapped only in the fur throw that normally sat on the end of the bed.

Lying on Athos’s chest Charlotte leaned down to press a kiss to a scar on his chest, resting her chin on it and lifting her head to meet his gaze.

Athos stared at her, watching as the fire danced and make her eyes glow even more amber in the light.

“Do you have any resolutions?”

She asked quietly, her tone curious as she watched his expressions.

Athos honestly couldn’t think of any; he had a good job, a beautiful woman at his side and an equally beautiful daughter plus a loving and supporting family, what else could he want?

He laid there for a few moments, thinking over Charlotte’s question before the answer came to him and he looked down at her with a smile as he answered her.

“I resolve to not let my ghosts haunt me.”

Charlotte’s expression softened and she leaned up to kiss him, whispering against his lips, “and I resolve to support you in every way possible.”

Feeling his throat close up with emotion Athos cupped her cheek and intensified the kiss and, as the heat from the fire flicked across their bodies, both had the same thought.

That this was a place they didn’t want to leave for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm _really _pushing that T rating with the kind of scenes I'm writing with Athos and Charlotte...__


	18. Birthday Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Athos's birthday and he insists he doesn't want anything leaving Charlotte at a loss as to what to actually get him.
> 
> But she finds the answer in a box of old memories.
> 
> Or Charlotte is a wonderful girlfriend and Athos-again-wonders how he got so lucky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! May it be better than last year!
> 
> I've officially started classes again and honestly, I'm kind of happy to be back; my new year's resolution is to be more organized: both with school and with posting updates though we'll see how that goes.
> 
> Anyways here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy!

“So, is there anything in particular you want for your birthday?”

Athos looked up from his book, feeling his mouth twitch at the innocuous question Charlotte asked. She was looking at him with an innocent expression that would have made Aramis proud.

“I have you and Bridgette, what more could I possibly want?” He questioned, smirking when he saw her entire face turn red.

“I’m serious,” the brunette woman insisted, walking over to him with a frown on her face. “Surely there’s something you want.”

Athos smiled softly, setting his book aside and reaching out to grasp Charlotte’s hand before pulling her onto his lap. Charlotte couldn’t help but blush when he lifted his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“The only thing I want is for you and Brigitte to be happy and safe,” he stated in a quiet voice. “There is nothing else I desire.”

Charlotte felt her insides melt at his words, so full of love and a far cry from how distanced he had been on the night they met.

“In that case,” she began, pulling him down so their lips met. “Perhaps we could have an _early_ celebration.”

Athos chuckled, a low throaty sound that made butterflies fluttering low in her stomach.

_“It would be my pleasure._ ”

* * *

 

“So, then I said—Charlotte, are you even listening?”

Constance questioned, furrowing her eyebrow at her sister who appeared to be off in her own little world.

She and Charlotte were having lunch with Ninon at a small restaurant a few blocks away from where Ninon worked at a non-profit for the education of unprivileged women. It was actually nice, talking to Ninon again, though it would be nicer if Charlotte was paying attention.

Charlotte snapped to attention, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. “Sorry Connie, what were you saying?”

Ninon raised an eyebrow. “It is unlike you to space out,” she commented which made the brunette artist sigh. “I know, I’m sorry, it’s just…”

She bit her lip, turning to face Ninon. “You’ve known Athos for a long time, correct?”

“Yes, since we were both in diapers, why?”

Charlotte began fidgeting with her hands. “That means you’ve celebrated a lot of his birthdays—”

“Ah,” Ninon said in realization, a smile forming on her face. “Let me guess: you asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he responded with nothing?”

Charlotte nodded and Ninon chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “Yeah, that sounds like him,”

“He’ll insist on buying something for your birthday, but when it comes to his own he wants nothing.”

Constance raised an eyebrow as she wondered, “What does he have against his birthday?”

Ninon sighed, a small smile forming on her face as she replied, “Honestly, since his parents died he never wanted to celebrate it, I can only imagine that desire only increased when Thomas died.”

“But,” she continued, reaching out to squeeze Charlotte’s hand. “A lot of things have changed since he met you, maybe this is another thing.”

Charlotte laughed softly, her eyes twinkling as she replied, “I’ll certainly try.”

Ninon grinned, raising her hand to get the waiter’s attention, “Well, we still have a bit of time until I’ll be missed, how about we go for coffee?”

“And I can tell you about my encounter with Richelieu, god it’s a miracle I didn’t strangle him!”

The D’Artagnan sisters laughed at Ninon’s exclamation, following the women after she paid the bill and listening to her meeting with Richelieu who she described as, quote, “A miserable excuse for a diplomat”.

Charlotte listened this time, but her mind was still on what to get for Athos. He had done so much for her, was such a great father to Brigitte and constantly took care of everyone around him.

This time, it was his turn to be taken care of.

* * *

 

“I’m home!”

Charlotte called out cheerfully, pulling off her scarf and coat and hanging them up in the entryway. She looked up to see Athos come around the corner, wearing his reading glasses and a smirk on his face.

“How was lunch with Ninon?” Athos questioned, stepping closer and placing his hands on her hips. “Did she tell any more embarrassing stories about me?”

He murmured against her lips which made her laugh, pulling back to reveal twinkling eyes as she replied, “She did mention something about a girl named Marie…?”

She grinned when she saw his eyes widen, wrapping her arms around his neck and reassuring him, “I am joking Athos.”

Athos shook his head, remarking in a dry tone, “You will be the death of me.”

Pressing a quick kiss to his cheek as she darted into the living room Charlotte replied, “And what a death it will be, my dear Athos.”

Her mouth instantly stretched into a smile when she saw her daughter happily playing on the floor, walking over the brunette mother picked the girl up and kissed the side of her head.

She raised an eyebrow when she saw a box lying on the coffee table along with a few pictures, turning around just as Athos entered she asked him, “Athos, what’s this?”

Athos’s mouth turned up in a soft smile as he explained, “Aunt Delphine was cleaning out the attic and found some mementos of my parents, she figured I might want them so she sent them to me.”

Charlotte nodded slowly, sitting down on the couch with Brigitte on her lap. Athos sat beside her, gently picking up a photo and showing it to her.

“It’s one of the only photos I have with just my parents, Thomas, my grandmother and I,” Athos explained as Charlotte looked at the photo.

The photo showed a younger Athos and Thomas wearing identical grins as they sat on the laps of their parents with an older woman who must be their grandmother standing nearby with a soft smile.

Looking at the photo she was struck by the beauty of Athos’s mother and grandmother; she saw the resemblance between Athos and his mother, and by extension, the resemblance to Brigitte.

But what really caught her eye was Athos’s grandmother, who looked almost…sad despite the smile on her face.

“My grandfather wasn’t the best husband,” Athos said in a bitter tone. “Beyond the constant philandering, he always tried to control her and it affected her badly.”

He ran his thumb over her face, feeling melancholy as he recalled, “This was taken at our house in La Fere; Grandpa was away on business so my parents took me and Thomas to visit her,”

“We went horseback riding and even had a picnic, it was the first time I could recall her laughing and being truly happy.”

Charlotte smiled gently, leaning her head on his shoulder as she stated in a quiet voice, “She’s very beautiful.”

Athos chuckled, looking down at her with a soft look. “She is, in fact, she’s the reason for the De La Fere good looks.”

The brunette woman raised an eyebrow. “Is she?”

She made a big show of looking at the photo, before glancing back at Athos, then back at the photo, then at him before stating in a teasing tone, “I don’t see it.”

Athos mock-glared at her which caused her to giggle, leaning up to peck him on the cheek before carefully taking the photo from him.

She held it in front of Brigitte, who looked at it with a curious expression and reached out towards it. “Look Brigitte,” Charlotte said in a soft tone. “That’s your grandparents.”

Athos moved in closer, pointing at the picture of his younger brother and saying in an almost melancholy tone, “And that’s your Oncle Thomas.”

He chuckled softly, remarking in a quiet tone to his daughter who was staring at her uncle with fascination, “He would have loved you,”

There was no doubt in his mind that Thomas would have spoiled his niece rotten, he had a soft spot for kids and Athos always joked that he would have kids first what with his womanizing.

Unfortunately, Thomas wouldn’t get to have kids at all.

Athos shook his head to remove the dark thoughts, noticing Charlotte was looked at him with a worried expression he leaned in to kiss her on the top of her head before whispering into her hair, “He would have liked you too.”

“Oh?”

She inquired, raising an eyebrow at Athos who smirked. “Yes, he would have flirted with you non-stop.”

Charlotte hummed, adjusting Brigitte who almost fell off before leaning in to say in a teasing tone, “He would have been disappointed because there’s only one De La Fere brother who has my heart.”

She took great pleasure in watching Athos turn slightly pink. He grumbled something under his breath, though his eyes said he didn’t mean whatever he said.

The phone began ringing at that moment and he got up to answer it, leaving Charlotte to look at the box more closely.

There were clearly many memories from the photos: pictures of Athos with his parents, with Thomas. All of these were worth keeping, but the photos were so old and torn that it was clear they likely wouldn’t last much longer.

Charlotte was starting to feel sad that Athos would only have his own memories when a lightbulb suddenly went off in her head and made her mind start to turn with ideas.

Carefully putting the photos back into the box and putting the lid on she stood up with Brigitte in one arm and the box in the other before walking over to where Athos was talking on the phone.

She put Brigitte in her high chair before nervously making her way over to her boyfriend who finished his phone call before looking up with a curious expression and asked, “Yes?”

“Do you mind if I take the box for a few days?” She inquired. “I’ll bring it back, I promise, I was just thinking that some of the photos could be put up on Brigitte’s family tree?”

Athos blinked for a few moments before nodding. “Sure, that would be alright.”

Charlotte beamed at him, giving him a quick kiss before hurrying out of the kitchen. Athos stared after her for a few moments before shaking his head, his mouth twitching in amusement.

“Your mother is very odd, isn’t she?” He asked his daughter, who babbled in response.

The man smiled softly as he said in a quiet voice, “But then, I’m a fool in love with her so I suppose we’re both odd.”

* * *

 

Charlotte’s project took her a few days, especially since she had to do when Brigitte was sleeping and Athos was out of the house so he wouldn’t find out.

First, she had to examine each photo closely before sketching it out, which was hard but also very fun.

Next, she had to try and discern what the colors in the faded photos had been and get the correct paints for them.

Needless to say, that by the end of the project she was somewhat exhausted, especially since she had other commissions and Brigitte to look after, but she finished it and couldn’t wait until Athos’s birthday dinner—with their family and friends—to give it to him.

There were several moments that she questioned her gift, maybe Athos didn’t want to keep the photos or he wouldn’t like her gift.

These doubts kept bouncing around in her mind even when she smiled brightly as Aramis and Porthos sang happy birthday to him on the day of the dinner.

She giggled at the expression on his face, an expression that promised revenge on his two friends. The fact that Anne, Flea and Constance had managed to convince him to wear a bright red party hat probably wasn’t helping.

He did blow out the candles, however, and after cake—which involved a partial food fight between Aramis and Porthos—it was time to open the presents.

Charlotte sat and watched as Athos opened his gifts: some of them weren’t surprising such as a new pair of Playboy boxers from Porthos—which she took with a thank you and sultry smirk on her face that made Athos turn red—but others were like the scarf that Constance had made for him since she knew he got cold easily (he thanked her with a slightly hoarse voice).

Now it was her turn and she watched nervously as he unwrapped it, pulling back the paper to reveal—

A black binder.

Athos stared at it for a few moments, raising an eyebrow in confusion as Aramis remarked, “Yes because Athos _needs_ more reasons to work—”

He was cut off by Anne’s hiss and Charlotte cleared her throat, “Open it.”

Athos looked at her with a raised eyebrow before following her instructions and slowly opening it. He lost his breath when he saw what was inside.

Inside of the book—which he now realized was a portfolio—were beautiful watercolor recreations of the photos.

There was so much detail: the narrowing of his father’s nose, the slimness of his mother’s hands, the slight twinkle in his grandmother’s eyes that always remained even through the hard times.

He looked over at Louise, who had a similar stunned expression, before looking at a pink-cheeked Charlotte who explained in a rather hurried tone, “I saw how much those photos meant to you so I thought ‘well why don’t I re-make them?’ but I didn’t know if you would like them or not and—”

“Charlotte,” Athos interrupted, putting the book aside and moving so that he was now seated beside her. “I love it.”

“Really?” Charlotte asked in a quiet voice, causing him to smile. “It’s one of the best gifts I have ever received,” he replied honestly, ignoring Aramis’s sputter as he pulled her into a deep kiss.

He eventually pulled back when he heard Aramis and Porthos begin wolf-whistling, his cheeks flushed and staring at his girlfriend with what he was sure was a dopey smile on his face that would have Aramis and Porthos teasing him for days.

But he didn’t care in that moment, the only thing he cared about was Charlotte smiling at him with that twinkle in her eyes, his daughter who was happily playing on the floor and the beautiful drawings of the photos that Charlotte had made for him.

It was the best birthday he had in years, and he hoped there would be many more like it to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've just realized that I haven't really been giving context as to the months beyond vague references, though in some cases it's easy to tell.
> 
> To make things somewhat easier, here's a brief timeline of events:
> 
> August 22nd-Athos and Charlotte meet at the bar
> 
> October 5th-Charlotte and Athos reunite
> 
> May 25th-Brigitte is born
> 
> July 13th-Athos and Charlotte get together
> 
> September 12th-Charlotte's birthday
> 
> February 14th-Athos's birthday
> 
> To be completely honest I'm not sure about the dates relating to the pregnancy (I did try to use a due date calculator but I just gave up on trying to get the dates to match) if I did, feel free to correct me
> 
> So Athos had a wonderful birthday: Brigitte will be turning one soon, yay! Let's see how that goes ;D


	19. The Chateau of Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Athos receives a call from Louise and once again finds himself facing his past
> 
> Or Athos returns to his childhood home and finds it's not as bad as he thought it would be
> 
> Featuring Aramis and Anne cuteness, Jacques covering Treville with paint and several people ending up in the pool plus chasing bad memories away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've actually managed to finish another chapter! Thank you for reading week and late night productivity!

Athos looked up from his mountain of paperwork at the sound of a phone ringing, blinking in confusion as he wondered where it was coming from. During a quick search, he realized it was coming from under said paperwork and let out a curse, hastily throwing the papers away in his mad dash for it.

He silently cursed the fact that the Alpha Team had just finished a joint-case with the Paris police, which always tended to double the amount of paperwork he normally did after a case.

Letting out a triumphant sound when he finally found his cellphone, which had been under an arrest warrant, he quickly answered it and said in a hurried tone, “This is Athos speaking.”

A very familiar chuckle sounded from the other end. _“My dear cousin, you sound out of breath; did I perhaps interrupt a, shall I say, intimate moment?”_

Athos felt his face turn red as he let out a loud sigh. “Louise, did you call just to tease me or do you have another reason?”

He heard her sigh. “ _Actually_ _yes, I’m calling about the estate in La Fere_.”

Athos’s body stiffened as he leaned on his desk. “Why?”

_“Because I’ve been wanting to go down there and fix it up but since it’s in your name…”_ She trailed off and Athos shook his head even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “Go ahead, you can—”

“ _Athos, I want you to come, with Charlotte and Brigitte as well_.”

Athos paused, the silence almost deafening before he asked in a quiet tone, “Why?”

_“Because despite everything that went down there, it’s still the place you grew up,”_ he heard her pause briefly before continuing. “ _It’s a part of you that they should see, and besides, I was thinking we could host Brigitte’s birthday party there.”_

Athos opened his mouth for a quick retort—along the lines of _no way in hell_ —but stopped and let out a sigh. “Just—let me talk to Charlotte first.”

He heard her laugh on the other end. _“Of course,”_ A pause. “ _I love you, Olly.”_

Athos exhaled sharply, his throat burning as he replied in a hoarse tone, “Love you too Lou.”

He heard the telltale _click_ of the call ending and pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at it for a few moments.

Athos shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh as he put the phone down and began picking up the papers now littering his floor.

If he was going to be having this conversation with Charlotte, then he really needed to get this down now.

Maybe he could pawn it off on Aramis…

* * *

 

Charlotte hummed to herself as she stirred the sauce on the stove, slightly dancing to the music playing throughout the kitchen.

She glanced over her shoulder and smiling when she saw Brigitte clapping her hands in her high-chair. “You like the music too Brigitte?”

Charlotte made sure nothing was about to boil over before she turned the heat down and walked over to hoist her daughter into her arms.

“You want to dance with mommy?” Charlotte began gently moving in place, causing Brigitte to start giggling and waving her arms.

The sound of the front door opening and Athos’s rather tired “I’m home!” made Charlotte pause in her dance. “Looks like Papa’s home,” she remarked quietly before increasing her voice. “In the kitchen!”

Athos appeared in the doorway, a soft smile on his face. “There are my favorite girls,” he walked over and picked up Brigitte in his arms, pressing a kiss on the top of her head before leaning forward to do the same to Charlotte.

Charlotte accepted his kiss and frowned as she pulled back and saw the slight tension in his shoulders, raising an eyebrow as if to ask “is something wrong?”

Athos let out a soft sigh, telling her with his eyes “we’ll talk about this later,” before asking out loud what was for dinner.

She pursued her lips but agreed to his request, going to get the pasta ready while Athos put Brigitte back in her high chair.

The dinner wasn’t stilted, per say—Athos was very energetic in complaining about the amounts of paperwork he had to do—but it was clear there was something on his mind and that worried her.

Because this wasn’t work-related, no, this was the stress he faced when dealing with his past: his brother and _her_.

He stood up to do dishes, waving off her attempts to help. She relented, figuring he wanted to use the activity as a way to sort through his thoughts.

So, she sat on the floor with Brigitte on her lap, switching between nervously glancing over at Athos’s hunched shoulders over the kitchen sink and smiling as she watched her daughter pick up various toys and try to tell her what they were.

Apparently, in Brigitte’s mind, an owl was an “ah-wa” and a ball was “ba-ba”

She startled when she felt something wrap around her waist but relaxed when she saw Athos leaning in to press a kiss into her hair before reaching out to take the owl Brigitte was offering him.

“So,” she watched him smiling at Brigitte’s attempts to explain a ball to him. “What has you so solemn this evening?”

He let out a heavy sigh and turned to face her. “Louise called, about the estate in La Fere: she wants us to come and help her fix it up.”

Athos watched his girlfriend raise an eyebrow. “Why would you be conflicted about…oh,” her expression became sympathetic. “Does it have to do with _them?”_

“Yeah, the estate,” Athos cut himself off, feeling the memories flood him. “Was where Thomas was…”

He broke off and brought his hand up to cover his face, feeling a heavy weight on his shoulder he turned to see Charlotte smiling softly at him as she rubbed his shoulder. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say it.”

Athos gave her a gentle smile, squeezing her hand softly. “After everything happened, I couldn’t deal with the memories so I just avoided it.”

“Now,” he let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know Charlotte, a part of me wants to avoid ever going near it again.”

“But,” Charlotte prompted and Athos turned to look at Brigitte with a soft expression. “But it’s still my childhood home, where Thomas and I grew up, and a part of my family history.”

“I want Brigitte to know her history.”

Charlotte hummed, leaning her head on his shoulder as she said quietly, “The thing about bad memories is that, with time and effort, they will fade away but you have to be willing to keep going forward.”

Athos let out a sharp chuckle, looking down at her. “So, what you’re saying is we should go?”

He watched her look up at him, her eyes soft with love. “Yes, but I want you to understand that if it _does_ get too hard for you we can leave,”

She grinned cheekily at him. “Just touch your nose and I’ll say I’ve come down with a sudden case of the flu or Brigitte is getting cranky and we can leave.”

Athos couldn’t help but lean his head back and laugh, eyes twinkling with amusement. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

Charlotte laughed softly as she leaned in to kiss him. “Be one of the best men in the world.”

Athos wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as she buried her nose in his neck. He knew facing the house wouldn’t be easy, but he was pretty sure he could handle it.

After all, he wouldn’t be alone.

* * *

 

“Wow,” Charlotte exhaled, eyes wide in shock as she took in the scene before her. “It’s so beautiful…”

She knew, of course, that the house would be large—given that Athos’s family _was_ nobility—but it was still something else to see just _how_ big it was.

The chateau was looked like a place where Louis XIV would vacation or something straight out of an ad for a travel magazine, surrounded by lush gardens with a sprawling forest in the background.

But at the same time, Charlotte had to admit there was a certain sadness that surrounded the place—if it was because no one had lived in it for a long time or because of the horrible event that took place here she didn’t know, but there was something about it.

Glancing over at Athos she could see him staring intently at the chateau, seemingly lost in his memories.

Athos startled when he felt something squeeze his hand, turning to look at Charlotte who was smiling softly at him.

“I’m fine,” he chuckled when he saw her disbelieving expression and leaned in to kiss her and Brigitte on the side of the head. “Really, it’s just…”

He looked back at the chateau, letting out a heavy sigh that seeped into his bones and made him feel a few years older. “I didn’t realize being back here would affect me as much as it does.”

“Remember, give me the signal and I’ll come to your rescue.”

Athos let out a bark of laughter, grinning at his smirking girlfriend and leaning in to kiss her, not separating until they both heard a loud pointed cough.

Faces flushed the two turned to see a smirking Louise. “Forgive me for interrupting, but we probably shouldn’t keep Claudine waiting.”

“Claudine?” Charlotte inquired as the group made their way up the driveway. Athos nodded, his expression becoming fond. “Eleanore’s sister, she’s been the housekeeper for as long as I could remember, practically raised Thomas and I.”

“And yet you still managed to get into trouble,” a dry voice remarked as a woman and man exited the chateau with smirks on their faces.

Looking closely Charlotte could definitely see a resemblance between the woman and Eleanore: same facial structure, same eyes and the same ability to make Athos turn red quickly.

“I’m Claudine, as you no doubt already know,” the woman gestured to the man next to her. “And this is my husband Pierre, the groundskeeper and caretaker.”

He grinned as he shook Charlotte’s hand. “And you must be the woman who managed to capture little Olly’s heart huh?”

Charlotte giggled, utterly charmed by the man. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

Claudine nodded, turning to look at Athos who seemed to be avoiding her gaze and shook her head.

“Olivier Antoine Laurent d’Athos de la Fere,” she began in a stern tone which made him wince slightly before she softened her tone and opened her arms. “Come over here and give me a hug.”

Athos blinked for a few minutes, hesitating before he relented and walked over to wrap his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug that had both parties fighting back tears.

Charlotte watched the scene with a teary smile and jumped when she heard a voice speaking next to her. “It’s been far too long for both of them,”

She turned to see Pierre watching his wife and Athos reunite with a soft expression. “We tried to have children, but, well, it was never in the cards for us,” he cleared his throat, lost in memories.

Charlotte swallowed. “I’m sorry, Monsieur,” he waved off her apology. “Don’t be, they may not biologically be ours but we did end up with two amazing boys even if they were idiots sometimes.”

He grinned as Charlotte let out a laugh, his expression quickly became solemn though. “When Thomas died…” he inhaled sharply, blinking back tears which made Charlotte put her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

“When he died it was like we lost both of them and Claudine blamed herself: she thought she should have done more to warn Athos away from _that woman_ ,” he practically spat the name and Charlotte shivered at the hatred in his eyes.

“She shouldn’t,” Pierre blinked and turned to see Louise smiling grimly. “She had her claws too deep in him, for all Athos loved Claudine he wouldn’t have listened to anyone about Anne, not even her.”

Pierre coughed. “Thank you, Louise, nice to see _you_ haven’t changed a bit.”

“Speaking of change,” he glanced down at Brigitte who had been sleeping throughout most of the interaction in her mother’s arms but was now wide awake. “I’m assuming this charming young lady is Brigitte, yes?”

“She is,” Athos remarked as he walked over with Claudine, gently taking his daughter into his arms. “This is my daughter.”

Charlotte would never get over the _pride_ in Athos’s voice whenever he talked about Brigitte, the wide smile that would form and make him look younger.

“She’s beautiful,” Claudine remarked quietly. “She has your eyes.”

Athos felt his cheeks flush, ducking his head down to hide them. Louise cleared her throat, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“As fun as it is to see my dear cousin get embarrassed,” she pointedly ignored said man’s glare. “We should probably get to work—now, given the amount of work we’ll need to do, I thought it prudent to get some extra help.”

“Who did you-you didn’t,” Athos began only to stop as something clicked in his mind. Louise grinned as a few more cars began pulling up in the background. “I did, cousin, oh I _did_.”

“Athos, nice place you got here!”

A familiar cheerful voice called out, causing Athos to sigh heavily as he turned to see a grinning Aramis and Porthos making their way over to him.

Behind them, he could clearly see Anne and Flea getting stuff out of the trunk and Constance and Jacques talking about something with—

“Captain?”

Athos inquired, sounding confused. “What are you doing here?”

Treville grinned as he walked over, patting Athos on the shoulder. “Louise called and asked if I would be willing to come out and help and—considering we don’t have active cases and, quite frankly, how much she scares me—I decided I could spare a few hours of my time.”

Athos shook his head, looking over at a smug Louise and remarking dryly, “I am not surprised you used intimidation.”

Louise snorted as she began walking towards the chateau. “I am a businesswoman, Athos, intimidation is the name of the trade.”

Athos chuckled, following her into the entryway and turning just in time to catch Charlotte’s stunned expression as she took in the room.

Two staircases wound down either side and led up to a balcony and a table with a rather expensive vase sat in the middle of the room on a carpet that Athos didn’t think had been replaced in years.

“So,” Louise turned to face the group and clapped her hands. “We’re not going to be doing any big changes—I still want to keep the original structure as much as we can—but I do want to make sure this place isn’t going to kill anyone…”

She trailed off, wincing as soon as she realized what she just said. “And that was a poor choice of words on my part, I apologize Athos.”

Athos waved off the apology. “It’s fine, besides,” he stared at a crack in the wall of the entryway. “That assessment isn’t entirely inaccurate.”

Louise chuckled. “Yes, well, one of the things that will need to be done is the removal of furniture that has pretty much been locked away,”

She looked pointedly at Aramis, Porthos and Treville. “I’m hoping you boys can handle that.”

“You can count on us, Madame,” Aramis proclaimed, dropping into a dramatic bow. Louise gave him an unimpressed look, smirking. “Athos, why don’t you go with them since some of the furniture _is_ yours and you might want to take it back with you.”

“And you also want me to keep those two out of trouble?” Athos asked, pointing his thumb at his partners who began loudly complaining until Treville shut them up with one look.

“I think Uncle Jean is more than capable of handling them,” Constance remarked dryly.

The four men left with Pierre joining them since he actually had the keys to the room, leaving the women (and Jacques) alone.

“Now I believe I mentioned on the phone that I wanted to repaint some of the rooms and switch out some fabrics—”

Louise stopped when she saw Constance and Jacques pull out some fabric swatches and paint samples.

“You two are absolutely wonderful.”

She proclaimed, causing Constance to laugh. “Thank you, I consider it my goal in life to be considered such.”

“Now, based on your descriptions of the rooms I was thinking we could do regale blue for one of the sitting rooms and grey marble for another…”

Constance’s voice trailed off as the women entered the sitting room. Charlotte paused for a moment and smiled when she caught sight of a portrait, recognizing the woman in it as Athos’s grandmother.

“I wish I could have met you,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at her sister talking with Louise with a giggle. “It seems our families get along quite well.”

She sighed softly, looking down at Brigitte who was staring at the woman in awe. “That’s your great-grandmother, Brigitte,” she whispered before looking up at her.

“She was a great woman.”

Charlotte stared at the woman for a few minutes, lost in her before her sister calling to her broke her out of her thoughts.

“Coming!”

She called back, looking back at the woman for one last time before entering the sitting room and letting out a laugh at her sister’s determined expression.

A crack of light from a window in the entryway shone on the portrait and you could almost see the woman smile as if she was happy to see her grandson return home at long last.

* * *

 

“Wow, this room certainly looks very… _blue_.”

Aramis remarked as he walked in sweating heavily with his hair partially pulled back. Anne glanced over her shoulder from her spot painting and felt her face heat because he looked _good_.

Damn him for being so attractive…

“Aramis, I swear to god, do _not_ get any sweat on that couch,” Constance threatened, causing him to jump away from the couch he was about to sit on. “We _just_ reupholstered it.”

Aramis put his hands up in a surrender motion and the red-haired woman stared at him suspiciously. “Why are you in here anyway? Shouldn’t you be helping them with the furniture?”

“I was, however, after nearly suffering an accident with a dresser that probably costs more than my car and apartment combined, I decided to take a brief break.”

“Hello, we bring refreshments,” Charlotte stated as she walked in with Claudine carrying trays of fruit, crackers and cheese with lemonade.

“Charlotte, you are clearly an angel sent from heaven,” Aramis proclaimed as he walked over and kissed her on the hand, causing Charlotte to raise an eyebrow in amusement.

“And you Madame,” he continued as he kissed Claudine’s hand which caused the older woman to blush and giggle like a school girl.

“Seriously?” Constance muttered under her breath and Anne laughed. “He wouldn’t be Aramis if he didn’t try to charm every woman in the vicinity.”

She let out a gasp when she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist and a deep voice whisper in her ear. “None of those women compare to you, _mi corazón._ ”

Anne let out a giggle as she turned around to see Aramis smiling warmly at her, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close. “None?”

“None.” He swore as he kissed her softly. The two remained like that until Treville’s voice came barreling down the staircase:

“Aramis, stop flirting with Anne and get your butt back up here!”

Aramis sighed heavily, smirking softly at Anne whose cheeks were flushed. “Duty calls, my dear Ana.”

He quickly pressed another kiss to her cheek before hurrying off to rejoin the other boys. Anne pressed a hand to her cheek, a smile forming on her lips before she shook herself and turned to help Flea who had a catlike smirk on her face.

The women resumed their painting in peace until:

_Crash!_

“For crying out—who left an opened paint can at the bottom of the stairs?”

The women hurried out of the sitting room and found themselves holding back laughter at the scene of an unamused Treville covered in paint.

“Um,” Jacques’s sheepish tone made Constance turn to see her husband red-faced. “I’m sorry.”

The timid apology had everyone bursting into good-hearted laughter as Claudine hurried to get Treville cleaned up and Aramis and Porthos lightly ribbed Jacques, congratulating him on having caught their captain off guard with “a paint can of all things!”

Athos and Charlotte shared an amused smile, feeling the dark aura of the chateau slowly vanish and be replaced with the laughter and memories of their family.

_Perhaps,_ Charlotte mused, _the shadows cannot win against the light after all_.

* * *

 

“Ah,” Porthos let out a happy sigh as he leaned back into the patio chair. “Ain’t nothing like relaxing after a long day of work.”

“I shall toast to that, my friend.” Aramis raised his glass and bumped it with Porthos causing Athos to shake his head.

Claudine and Charlotte had prepared dinner after the remodelling of the chateau was finally done—which may have involved a few more near accidents—and it was agreed that they should have outside given that the weather was so good.

“On the bright side, we have some new furniture for our apartment,” Constance said as she leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder. “Thank you for allowing us to take it, by the way, Athos.”

Athos waved it off. “It wouldn’t work in our house and I doubt Louise wants it,” His cousin shook her head. “And it would be a shame to sell it since it’s been in our family for so long—now, at least, it can stay in the family.”

Constance smiled warmly. “I am honored to be allowed such an important gift.” Athos grinned at her before taking a sip of his drink.

“Oh, I wish I had known there was a pool,” Flea lamented as she stared at the body of water. “I would have brought my swimsuit.”

Porthos and Aramis shared a look of mischief before Porthos moved closer to the blonde woman. “Who says you need a swimsuit?”

Flea furrowed her eyebrows. “What are you—Porthos, don’t you dare—!”

She wasn’t able to finish her threat as the large man easily hoisted her up and walked over to the pool. Flea let out an angry shriek as she was thrown into the water, coming up sputtering and glaring at Porthos who was grinning at her.

“Porthos Du Vallon, when I get my hands on you, you are dead!”

Anne laughed at her friend’s misfortune, though she quickly stopped when she saw the look in her boyfriend’s eyes.

“No, _Aramis…_ ” She warned, slowly standing up and backing away as Aramis came closer to her. “Come now Ana, you _did_ say I needed a bath so why don’t we take one together?”

Anne let out a squeak when Aramis grabbed her hands and began dragging her towards the pool to the amusement of everyone else.

Constance also fell victim to the pool on account of her husband, who looked rather terrified as she uttered various threats against his— _ahem—_ important parts.

Louise _didn’t_ , however, on the account of the fact she threatened to a smirking Athos that she would tell Charlotte about a certain sheep incident—needless to say he didn’t try anything.

Charlotte watched the scene before her—Flea and Constance shouting threats at an amused Porthos and nervous Jacques while Anne and Aramis stared at each other lovingly—with a gentle smile.

It was safe to say, then, that the bad memories of the chateau were now in the past.

Charlotte looked down at her daughter who was laughing at the scene before her before looking at Athos who leaned in to kiss her.

Yes, she thought as she pulled back and leaned her head on his shoulder, this was a perfect day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* this was originally going to turn out a bit darker but I ended up wanting to do something light and soft so here it is: we get some moments between Anne and Aramis and also have some hijinks (sorry Jacques). 
> 
> Hopefully, I can keep up this productivity but considering I have like _four _midterms coming up that really isn't likely but I will try.__


	20. Brigitte Turns One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Brigitte's first birthday, she's growing up so fast and it's slightly terrifying her parents.
> 
> Her parents have a discussion about their future and receive their own special gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (singing offkey) Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Brigitte, Happy Birthday to you.
> 
> Yeah...that's pretty self-explanatory I think XD

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,”

Everyone sung—some more off-key than others—with a smile on their faces as they watched the birthday girl bouncing happily on her mother’s knee while her parents helped her blow out the candles.

“Alright, here’s a slice with the bunny’s ears on it for the birthday girl—Aramis I swear to _god_ …”

Constance threatened when she saw the Hispanic agent almost dip his finger into the icing, narrowing her eyes when he quickly removed it and gave her an innocent smile.

The backyard of the De La Fere estate had been transformed into a wonderful setting for Brigitte’s first birthday, thanks to the efforts of her mother, aunt and cousins (some of whom may have gone a _bit_ overboard).

Streamers had been hung on branches with balloons in green, blue and yellow placed strategically around the yard. A play zone had been set aside for Brigitte with her favorite toys (including her owl) placed inside.

In all, it was a perfect birthday for the youngest De La Fere.

Athos couldn’t help his mouth twitching as he watched Charlotte pose with their daughter for Delphine, who had insisted on capturing the entire event on film.

_After all_ , she pointed out in a dry tone. _It’s not like_ I’ll _be getting any grandchildren soon_ much to the resignation of her two daughters.

Brigitte’s hair had started to grow out and it became abundantly clear that she had inherited her mother’s dark curls but she still had her father’s eyes.

“Here you go,” Athos blinked and turned to see Louise holding a plate with a piece of cake out towards him. “I made sure you got a piece with the whiskers.”

Athos chuckled as he took the plate from his cousin. “Thank you, my life would have been empty if I did not get that piece,” he remarked dryly.

Louise rolled her eyes, smacking him on the shoulder. “Your sarcasm leaves a lot to be desired, Olly.”

“I happen to _love_ his sarcasm,” Athos heard a familiar cheery voice say from behind him, turning he saw Charlotte smiling softly at him.

“Thank you for the back-up,” Athos murmured, grinning as Charlotte sat beside him and leaned in to kiss him.

“Where is the birthday girl?” Louise wondered, glancing around. The brunette mother laughed, gesturing with her hand to where Brigitte was happily perched on Porthos’s shoulders.

“Uncle Porthos offered to babysit her, apparently she’s enjoying it.”

Louise sighed, her eyes twinkling. “I can’t believe she’s already one, it seems like just yesterday she was babbling.”

“I know,” Charlotte agreed, resting her head on Athos’s shoulder while he put his arm around hers. “She’s growing up so fast.”

Constance, who had joined the group, smirked at her sister. “You know,” she began, watching as the brunette raised her eyebrow in question. “You could always have another child if you miss having a baby.”

The redhaired woman meant it as a joke, but still found her sister and her sister’s boyfriend reactions to her suggestion humorous: Charlotte flushing as red as Constance’s hair while Athos nearly choked on the piece of cake he had just eaten.

“That’s…I mean…we don’t,” The brunette mother stammered, staring wide-eyed at Athos who was now turning pink.

“I’m _kidding_ Charlotte,” Constance said dryly. “Your reactions were something though.”

Charlotte let out a breath of relief, leaning over to hit her sister in the shoulder. Constance cackled as she jumped up and ran over to her husband who had been watching the scene and shaking his head.

“Sorry about…that, she thinks she’s hilarious.”

Athos shook his head, his color returning to normal as he reached out to take her hand. “It’s fine,” he paused for a moment before continuing hesitantly, “It’s not something I would be opposed to.”

“You mean, you’ve thought about having more children?” Charlotte asked in a high-pitched tone. “With me?”

“I certainly haven’t been thinking about having them with your sister,” he remarked dryly before his expression softened. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to spring that on you—”

“ _No_ , no,” his girlfriend insisted as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek before biting her lip. “I like that idea actually, having more children—in the future, of course.”

“Of course,” Athos agreed, a small smile forming as he kissed her softly, resting his forehead against her.

“Hey lovebirds, Maman wants a picture of you with the birthday girl.”

Juliette called out, causing them to separate and turn to face her. Athos let out a heavy sigh, causing Charlotte to giggle as she took his hand.

The two of them made their way over to where Delphine was setting up the photoshoot. Charlotte took Brigitte from Porthos and sat her on her lap while Athos fidgeted in his seat before wrapping an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Olivier, lean a little more to the left—that’s good, now smile!”

The parents blinked as the flash went off while Brigitte rubbed her eyes. They sat through for a few more photos before Delphine had enough.

Athos took Brigitte from her mother, grinning as she began giggling. “Hello sweetie, are you enjoying your birthday party?”

Brigitte looked up at her father and, while holding her arms up to him, said in a baby voice: “Papa?”

Athos froze, unsure if he had heard her correctly but sure enough she said it again. “Papa, Papa!”

“Oh my god,” Charlotte said with wide eyes. “She just said her first word!”

“Louise, go get the video camera!” Delphine called out to her daughter who ran inside the house, resurfacing with the camera and began filming the scene.

Charlotte and Athos were oblivious to everyone around them, their only focus being their daughter who continually called out to her father.

“Well, I guess this proves one thing,” Charlotte began, causing her boyfriend to look up from watching his daughter and raise an eyebrow in question.

She smiled brightly. “She’s a daddy’s girl.”

Athos chuckled, leaning in to give her a kiss before the two turned their attention back to their daughter who had become interested in the bunny she had gotten as a gift from Constance.

In their mind, this was the perfect place for them to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll, let's see if I can keep this up.
> 
> Next chapter will involve the Musketeers being forced to attend one of Louis's parties and Charlotte meets Richelieu and Louis.


	21. A Gala of a Good Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Musketeers have been asked-*cough*- ordered to attend one of Louis's parties which requires dates.
> 
> Or: Fancy gowns, lovestruck boys and Charlotte telling off Richelieu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how long this update took, but I've had writer's block on and off plus the heat has just been horrible (I live in Canada for crying out loud, it should not feel like I'm about to die!)
> 
> Hope you guys like the girls getting dolled up and we meet Louis and Richelieu whom Charlotte immediately dislikes.

“Captain!” Aramis greeted the man cheerfully as he made his way over to them, looking rather upset at something. “To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“This,” Treville said, tossing three envelopes on the desk and watching as the three Musketeers took them with a confused expression. “Louis is having a party and by orders of the higher ups—by which I mean _me_ —you are all required to attend.”

“Uh, I would love to Captain but I’m kind of busy that night…” Aramis began, trailing off when he saw the unamused expression on his boss’s face.

“That’s very interesting,” Treville remarked dryly. “Let me put this another way: any one who does not attend will be forced to do _all_ of the teams’ paperwork including their own.”

“…On second thought, my plans have been cancelled.”

Treville smirked, turning to walk away. “Play nice boys, and don’t forget to bring a date!”

The trio watched their boss enter his office and closed his door with a loud _slam_ , causing a nearby intern to be startled and drop all of their paperwork.

“Damn it, I hate having to dress up for these types of things,” Porthos complained, glaring at the invitation as if it had personally offended him.

“Ah, come on my friend,” Aramis exclaimed as he threw an arm over the large man’s shoulders. “At least we get free food.”

Athos let out a snort. “Believe me, the free food isn’t worth attending one of these horse shows.”

“Hey,” Porthos stated as he pointed at him. “You and Aramis don’t get to complain, you already have dates.”

“That is true,” Aramis agreed, a grin forming when he saw Anne working in her office. “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

Porthos and Athos watched as the Hispanic agent straightened his collar before walking into the blonde’s office and began flirting with her.

Porthos let out an exaggerated sigh. “Well, looks like I’ll have to start hunting for a date, maybe Alice would be willing to go as friends.”

Athos cleared his throat catching Porthos’s attention. “Or you could ask Flea,” he suggested, inclining his head towards the woman who was conversing with Treville.

“She probably has to attend too, so you can kill two birds with one stone.”

“Huh,” Porthos mused, standing up and walking over to Flea.

Athos smirked as he watched Porthos and Flea chat, he may not be Aramis but that doesn’t mean he can’t play matchmaker.

He let out a heavy sigh as he glanced down at his own invitation, maybe Ninon or Louise was also attending…

* * *

 

“I’m home!”

Athos called out as he entered the house, hanging his keys up and walking into the living room where he was met with the sight of Brigitte standing on shaky legs while Charlotte was nearby with a watchful eye.

“Wow, look at you!” Athos exclaimed in shock, immediately getting on his knees and holding out his arms as he watched his daughter toddle towards him. “Come on Brigitte, just a little bit more…there you go!”

He caught his daughter and lifted her up, twirling her around before planting kisses all over her.

Charlotte laughed, her eyes twinkling as she stood up. “She’s been trying to walk all day, of course, she does it as soon as _you_ get home.”

Athos chuckled, cradling Brigitte against his shoulder as he walked over and gave his girlfriend a kiss. “What can I say, I’m irresistible.”

Charlotte hummed in amusement, turning around and walking towards the kitchen. “We’re having spaghetti carbonara, does that sound good to you?”

“Anything you make sounds good to me,” Athos replied as he sat down with Brigitte who was playing with a toy cellphone she had gotten for her birthday.

“So, how was work?” Charlotte asked from the kitchen. Athos looked over at her. “It was good, although we’ve been asked by the Captain to attend one of Louis’s parties.”

“Were you asked or were you ordered?” Charlotte inquired, raising an eyebrow. Athos smirked. “He made it very clear that he would make us do a lot of paperwork if we didn’t attend.”

He stood up as Charlotte walked over, wrapping his arms around her waist. “And we’ve been asked to bring dates.”

“I don’t suppose you know anyone who would want to go with me?”

Charlotte hummed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pretending to think. “Well, I do know _one_ person who might want to…”

Athos chuckled as he gave her a quick kiss. “It’s next Friday, that won’t be a problem?”

Charlotte shook her head. “No, I’ve gotten most of my commissions finished although…” she wrinkled her nose. “I suppose I’ll have to see if Connie would be willing to make me a new dress.”

“I’m sure your sister will be delighted too,” Athos paused as he realized something. “Maybe you could ask if she’ll be willing to make Anne and Flea some new dresses as well?”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Porthos actually asked her?” Athos smirked. “Well, he may have had a _little_ push…”

She laughed, her eyes twinkling. “And here you said you weren’t a matchmaker.”

Athos grinned as he leaned in to kiss her. “What can I say? I’m full of surprises.” He pulled back as he heard the pot begin whistling.

“Now let’s go and eat: I’m starving.”

* * *

 

“ _Ow!”_

Flea exclaimed with a wince, turning to glare at the smirking redhead. “What was that for?”

“That was me telling you to stop fidgeting or _that_ is what will happen,” Constance replied dryly. “You look fine, Porthos may very well drop dead when he sees you.”

She said this with a catlike grin that had Flea turning a bright red before she lunged at the redhead who darted away with a laugh.

“Flea, don’t you dare mess up my hair!” Anne called out, narrowing her eyes at the other blonde as she put the final touches on Charlotte.

“There, you’re done.”

The blonde aristocrat declared as she stepped back, putting her hands on her hips and looking quite pleased at her handiwork.

“Now that everyone’s done, it’s time for you girls to make your grand entrance,” Constance stated as she began walking to the door.

She left the room and headed towards the stairs where the three men were nervously waiting for their dates.

“Ahem,” she cleared her throat causing the trio to turn to her expectantly. “It is my honor to present the lovely Miss Flea,”

Flea appeared at her side and smirked when she saw the slacked jaw expression on Porthos’s face.

Her blonde hair was curled and half pulled up into rosettes that fell over her shoulder while her dress was made out of a black fabric with an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline and draped sleeves, a wide band stretched across the open back to create the illusion of a shawl and the mermaid skirt smoothed over her hips before flaring out and pooling to the floor.

“Do I meet your approval?”

Flea questioned with a smirk as she reached the bottom of the steps. Porthos chuckled deeply, stepping forward and giving her a look that she couldn’t quite decipher.

“You look wonderful Flea.”

Her cheeks pinked and she pointedly ignored the smirks on the other men’s faces as she stepped out of the way.

“Next up is the wonderful Anne D’Autriche,” Constance declared as said woman nervously appeared at the top of the stairs.

Her blonde curls were pulled into a soft chignon and she wore a lilac dress with lace half-sleeves and a tulle skirt that flowed to the floor.

“My dearest Anne,” Aramis declared as she reached the bottom, taking her hand and kissing it which made her blush. “You are easily the most stunning woman in this room—except for dear Constance, of course.”

The redhead rolled her eyes. “And now for my dear sister Charlotte D’Artagnan!”

Charlotte appeared at the top of the stairs and Athos felt the breath escape from him as she made her way down the steps.

Her dark curls were pinned up into a twisted updo and she wore a burgundy dress with a halter neck and a skirt that flared out.

She flushed when she saw Athos’s eyes on her, her mouth turning up into a shy smile. “Do you like it?”

Athos didn’t answer, walking slowly towards her which made her fidget nervously. She felt a squeak escape her when he pulled her into a sudden kiss, eyes closing shut in pleasure.

Eventually, a cough forced them to separate, their faces bright red as they turned to see their friends looking like the cat that got the cream.

“I do believe, my dear Charlotte,” Aramis began, grinning wolfishly. “That Athos approves of your dress.”

“I’m certainly glad to hear that, considering it took me three days to make it,” Constance remarked dryly as she adjusted Brigitte in her arms. “Now go have fun, but not _too_ much fun because I’m not sure if we’re ready for more babies.”

All the couples in question blushed, saying their goodbyes as they were ushered out the door. “Wait, Connie you know that Brigitte…”

“…doesn’t like going to sleep without her stuffed owl, yes.” Constance finished, looking amused. “We’ll be fine Charlotte, go and dance the night away.”

Charlotte gave her sister a quick hug and kissed Brigitte on the forehead before letting Athos drag her out the door. Constance let out a sigh, looking down at her niece with a smile.

“How about we go and read some stories, hm?”

* * *

 

To say Charlotte was nervous would be like saying Aramis liked flirting, she felt as if there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

It wasn’t like she was new to such big events, she had attended a few when her art career was just taking off in order to gather new clients, but this…this was a bit different.

Louis’s party was being held at his house, which was almost as expansive as the De La Fere estate, and it was clear he had spared no expense.

Every inch of the house was decorated with string lights, in the main ballroom, there were tables set up with flower and candle centrepieces.

“There you are,” Treville remarked, making his way over to the three couples. “I thought you might have tried to get out of this.”

“Us?” Aramis exclaimed, placing his hand over his heart and looking insulted. “How dare you, we would never—”

“You absolutely would,” Charlotte remarked dryly, causing everyone to laugh as Aramis mock glared at her.

“Captain Treville!”

The group turned to see a cheerful Louis and displeased Richelieu making their way over to them. “It’s so nice to see you were able to make it!”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Treville replied, gesturing at Charlotte. “I’d like you to meet my goddaughter Charlotte D’Artagnan.”

Louis beamed as he turned his attention to the brunette woman who shyly held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Minister Bourbon.”

Charlotte stated, her mouth twitching when the man shook her hand enthusiastically. “It’s an honor to finally meet you Mademoiselle D’Artagnan, I’ve heard so much about you and, please, call me Louis.”

“Then I must ask that you call me Charlotte.” She replied, her eyes bright with amusement. Louis gave her a wide grin. “Your godfather told me you are an artist, correct?”

“Yes, I am,” Louis clapped his hands loudly. “Wonderful, I’ve been dying to put some new paintings on my wall, if it isn’t too much to ask would you be willing to do some commissions for me?”

Charlotte blinked in shock, looking over her shoulder to see Athos raise an eyebrow before turning her attention back to Louis who was staring at her expectantly.

“Of course, I would,” she finally replied, digging into her clutch and pulling out one of her business cards. “Give me a call whenever you are available.”

Louis took the card with a grin. “Wonderful,” he glanced at his watch. “We should probably start sitting down for dinner.”

He turned to Treville. “I hope you don’t mind Treville, but I arranged it so you and your guests were seated with us.” Richelieu didn’t look pleased, so Charlotte assumed his protests had been ignored.

Treville shook his head, looking resigned to being forced to spend a whole two hours in close proximity to the Foreign Minister. “Of course not Louis.”

He followed Louis, who was talking excitedly about something as they made their way over to their table leaving Richelieu with the three Inseparables and their dates.

“Hey Anne,” Aramis quickly said as he gently began pushing her away from Richelieu. “Isn’t that one of your friends?”

“Porthos, it looks like there’s a buffet,” Flea pointed out and Porthos followed her gaze. “You’re right, let’s go check it out.”

Porthos remarked in a hurried tone, grabbing her wrist and dragging her over to it.

Athos and Charlotte blinked, sharing a look when they realized they had just been left alone with Richelieu.

_All for one and one for all my ass_

Athos thought bitterly as Richelieu turned his attention to Charlotte. “I understand you and Agent De La Fere are a couple?”

“We are,” Charlotte replied calmly. Richelieu eyed Athos with a look that made the comte feel like he was something stuck under Richelieu’s shoe. “I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.”

Charlotte felt herself bristle and was ready to tear him a new one but caught sight of Louis over his shoulder talking to Treville. As much as she would love to blast him, she didn’t want to cause any issues for Athos or her godfather, so she decided to be creative.

“I assure you, Monsieur, Agent De La Fere is _very_ much my taste,” Charlotte remarked dryly. “He is an honorable man who is a wonderful father to our daughter, though I suppose I understand why an honorable man wouldn’t be appealing to you given the reputation your red guards have.”

“I guess there is no accounting for taste.”

Athos couldn’t help but gape at Charlotte, in awe of her sudden shift from sweet and gentle to fierce and snarky. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised—she is related to Constance after all—but unlike her sister, she rarely became snappy with people.

Richelieu seemed to also be in shock, his face turning slightly red in anger as he opened his mouth to respond only to be cut off by Louis calling out to them.

“Armand, we’re waiting on you and I’m getting rather hungry.”

Richelieu shot Charlotte one last glare before turning on his heel and heading over to the young minister. Charlotte let out the breath she’d been holding, blinking when she felt a warmth on her waist.

“That,” Athos began as he leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “Was very attractive, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you upset.”

Charlotte let out a soft huff. “He insulted you, I wasn’t about to let him get away with that.”

Athos chuckled, leaning in to kiss her nose before pulling back and moving his hand to the small of her back. “Come on, I need to go yell at Aramis and Porthos for abandoning us with Richelieu.”

The two of them made their way over to the table where Athos proceeded to—secretly, of course—give his two partners his best death glare until they were fidgeting in their seats. Satisfied, he turned his attention to Charlotte who was in a deep conversation with Louis.

He smiled, his mind wandering. Louise had recently asked if he and Charlotte were going to come to the annual New Year’s Eve ball and, after talking it over with his girlfriend, they had accepted the invitation.

But even with Charlotte’s assurances that she wanted to go, Athos was worried; he was well aware of how vicious the upper crust could be and he was unsure of whether or not Charlotte, who had grown up in a small town, could handle it.

Now, however, he couldn’t help but think his worries were for nothing: she handled Louis in a way that only Anne could ever hope to match and her polite takedown of Richelieu would no doubt help her with the society ladies who would be angry that Athos hadn’t chosen them and try to take it out on her.

Yes, he mused as she briefly looked away from her conversation with Louis to gift him with a small smile he returned, she would be just fine.

She was, after all, Treville’s goddaughter.

* * *

 

“Brigitte’s still asleep,”

Charlotte said as she entered the bedroom where Athos was removing his suit jacket. Constance had left a few minutes ago, pleased to learn that Charlotte and the other girls had given out her name to a few women who had asked about their dress.

Athos watched her walk over to the mirror and begin pulling out the pins in her hair, feeling his mouth turn up in a soft smile.

He quietly walked up behind her, waiting until she looked up and saw him in the mirror before wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a kiss to her neck. “You were amazing with Richelieu.”

Charlotte flushed, rolling her eyes. “So, I kept hearing,” she remarked dryly causing Athos to chuckle.

When the others had heard about her insult to Richelieu, Porthos had burst out laughing while Aramis looked like he was going to kiss her (which he refrained from when he saw the look he was getting from Athos). Even Treville had grinned at her, stating that she “gets that from her father and I”.

She twisted so that she was looking at him, raising an eyebrow. “Despite what you may think, I _do_ know how to be mean—Connie is my sister after all.”

She smirked when she saw his shoulders shake with laughter, letting out a soft sigh. “I’ve just never had much chance to use such skills—Connie usually does it for me and when she’s not around I try to be polite.”

The brunette mother wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, giving him a gentle smile. “I can handle myself Athos, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Athos chuckled, leaning in to kiss her. “I’m always going to worry about you, it’s in my nature.” Charlotte let out a twinkling laugh as they pulled back, her smile sultry.

“What do you say we get out of these clothes and enjoy the silence?”

Athos gave her a wolfish grin as he turned them around, walking her backwards towards the bed. “It would be my pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* Athos and Charlotte are adorable, aren't they? A quick note is that Charlotte is generally seen as the "nice" sister compared to Constance but if you actually succeed in getting her angry run for the hills. Richelieu was lucky because that was just her being "slightly irritated" but when Milady comes into the picture, we will see her become genuinely angry. 
> 
> Next chapter features Aramis and Porthos plotting to get Athos to go on vacation (which takes a lot more effort than you would expect it to).


	22. A Tranquil Getaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Athos's first anniversary is coming up and Aramis and Porthos have an idea about what they should do
> 
> Alternatively: Porthos and Aramis plot, Anne and Flea decide to help and Charlotte and Athos get a nice little getaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm rather amazed by how quickly I was able to finish this...

“I know I’m going to regret asking this, but what are you doing?”

Anne questioned, raising an eyebrow as she watched Aramis and Porthos quickly lift their heads from the screen they had been glued to for the past hour.

“My dear Anne,” Aramis exclaimed with a flirtatious smile. “Did you come all the way over here just to see me, I’m flattered—”

“Aramis,” Anne cut him off, her cheeks flushed as she gave him a look. “What mischief have you and Porthos been up to?”

“We’re not up to any mischief—we aren’t,” Porthos insisted when he saw the disbelieving look she gave them. “In fact, we’re trying to do a nice thing.”

“Oh?”

Aramis nodded, turning the screen so Anne could see that they were on a website comparing prices for nearby hotels. “Athos and Charlotte’s first anniversary is coming up and Athos has been working hard with the past few cases so we decided he needed to take a break.

“But, knowing him, he won’t take a break and will probably just plan a dinner for them, so we’re taking matters into our own hands.”

Flea, who had walked over during his explanation, offered her two cents: “So, basically, you need to book a hotel, convince Treville to give Athos the time off, find someone to look after Brigitte and then convince Charlotte and Athos to go on this vacation?”

Aramis and Porthos shared a look before looking back at her. “Pretty much.”

Anne sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before giving Flea an exasperated look. “Then we should probably help them, and maybe recruit Constance as well.”

“Well, I’ll go and talk to Treville about Athos’s time off,” Flea turned to leave, before pausing and turning back. “I’m assuming you also don’t want Charlotte and Athos to know about this?”

“Yes, although we have acknowledged that may be difficult, given Athos is like a bloodhound when it comes to lies,” Aramis replied cheerfully.

Flea shook her head, her mouth twitching as she headed to Treville’s office, knocking on the door loudly before waiting it to open and then enter.

Anne pulled out her tablet. “I’ll handle the hotel, I have some perk points that I’ve been meaning to use up and I may be able to get a special deal.”

“You’re an angel,” Aramis stated, grinning softly as Anne leaned down to give him a kiss before turning and walking to her office.

“Alright, get that grin off your face,” Porthos ordered. “We still have to figure out who’s going to watch Brigitte.”

“Why, us of course,” Aramis replied as if it should have been obvious. “We _are_ her godfathers, aren’t we?”

Porthos blinked for a moment, the thought not having occurred to him, before beginning to chuckle.

_Well, this should be interesting…_

* * *

 

“Once again, it would seem you are creating a masterpiece Mademoiselle Charlotte.”

Charlotte couldn’t help but quirk her eyebrow as she finished cleaning her brush and turned to see Aramis standing in the doorway with a grin that was trying hard to be innocent.

She’s always known Aramis to be dramatic, even when they first met it was radiating off him like heat, but this…this was a whole other level.

He was clearly plotting something.

“Aramis, to what do I owe the honor of having you visit me in the middle of the day?”

Aramis entered her studio, grin still firmly in place. “I cannot come and say hello?” Charlotte placed her hands on her hips and gave him a look that reminded him strongly of her sister.

Aramis cleared his throat, handing her a brochure that she took with a raised eyebrow. He waited nervously as she began reading the brochure.

“ _La Rose Tranquille_?” She questioned, looking at him curiously which he took as his cue. “It is a private resort just a few hours outside of Paris.”

Charlotte nodded, still looking confused. “Are you planning to go there with Anne?” Aramis shook his head, his grin growing wider.

“No, my dear Charlotte, _you_ are going to go there with Athos.”

He watched the brunette blink for a few minutes before he continued. “Your first anniversary is coming up, is it not?” She nodded. “What exactly do you have planned?”

“I assumed we’ll just be going out for dinner…” She trailed off when she saw the expression on his face. “And you don’t agree with that plan,”

Charlotte noted in a dry tone, causing Aramis to chuckle. “I believe it’s a fine plan, however Athos has been working non-stop on the recent load of cases and you have just finished up your last commission for Louis,”

“Thus, you deserve a little getaway,”

Aramis declared with a soft expression. “The resort, according to Anne at least, has some very good food and wine, it has private villas and,” his grin turned lascivious. “I hear the bathtubs are _quite_ spacious.”

Charlotte blushed at the suggestion in his tone, glancing down at the brochure with a wistful expression. “It does sound quite lovely…”

She let out a resigned sigh, lifting her head to see Aramis watching her with a hopeful expression. “Very well, I’m assuming you want my help in recruiting Athos to agree to this?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Aramis replied. “Oh, and don’t worry about Brigitte: Porthos and I will be watching her.”

Charlotte, who had been heading to the door, stopped and turned to give him a look. “I think I _am_ worried now.”

“You wound me, Mademoiselle, you wound me.”

* * *

 

“And you’re certain that—”

“—the number for Brigitte’s pediatrician is on the fridge? Yes,” Charlotte replied, sounding amused at her boyfriend’s worried question. “And Constance has promised to check in on them—in fact she insisted—as will Anne and Flea.”

Athos sighed heavily as he began removing their luggage from the trunk. Charlotte could see the tension in his shoulders and let out a soft huff, waiting until he had removed the last suitcase before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him from the back.

“They’ll be fine,” she said in a reassuring tone as she squeezed him gently. “You and I both know Aramis and Porthos would never let anything happen to Brigitte.”

Athos chuckled in agreement, turning around and pulling her in for a kiss. “Forgive me, this is supposed to be a vacation.”

Charlotte smiled brightly as she pulled back. “It is only natural for you to be worried, it’s the first time we’ll be leaving Brigitte for an extended amount of time,”

“Now, let’s go get settled hm? I’ve been told the tubs here are spacious,”

Athos grinned when he saw the mischievous tilt of her lips. “Let’s not stay out here, then.”

Charlotte returned the grin, picking up her suitcase—insisting that she didn’t need Athos’s help—in one hand and taking his hand in the other as they entered the quaint establishment.

A few hours later, after they had a nice dinner at the restaurant, they were settled in the bathtub that was, in fact, spacious enough for two people.

“This is nice…”

Athos quirked an eyebrow at Charlotte’s statement, glancing down at the woman lying on his chest as she shifted slightly, causing the water to swish around.

He watched Charlotte lift her head and give him a smile, which he responded to by leaning down and giving her a kiss.

“You know, it’s odd to think that this time last year I had just given birth to Brigitte,” Charlotte mused as he pulled back. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”

“It does,” Athos agreed, still able to recall the first time he had held his daughter in his arms and how wonderful and strange it had been.

“At the time I hadn’t expected this,” he raised an eyebrow at her and she elaborated with a gentle smile. “Having a relationship with you beyond that of co-parents.”

“Neither had I,” he admitted, pulling her closer and pressing a soft kiss to her hair. “But now I’m glad I was willing to give it a try.”

Charlotte laughed, moving so that she was now straddling him, arms winding around his neck while his hands moved to her waist.

“Why don’t we go and break in that bed?”

Athos let out a low chuckle. “That sounds very agreeable to me.”

* * *

 

Athos couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Charlotte admire the art on the wall. As it turns out, there was a rather small art gallery near where they were staying and Charlotte had become extremely excited at the prospect of seeing it so here they were.

“What do you think?”

He whispered into her ear as he stepped closer, causing her to jump before a smile crossed her lips. “Hm, I like the colors,” she said in a soft tone as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

The two continued their walkthrough of the gallery, Athos listening with a smile as Charlotte chattered about composition and medium and other things he did not really understand.

Eventually Charlotte’s stomach rumbling signalled the end of their excursion and the two left to find a small café where they had a light lunch.

As he was getting out his wallet to pay the bill he saw Charlotte staring off into the distance with a soft smile. He followed her gaze to see a young family walking by. The mother held a baby on her hip and was grasping another child’s hand in her own while the father had another child on his back as another walked close to them.

Athos turned back to Charlotte, raising an eyebrow and asking dryly, “Are you attempting to tell me something?”

Charlotte flushed, shaking her head rapidly. “No, no it’s just,” she bit her lip, glancing at the family once more. “They look like a nice family, don’t they?”

“Yes,” he agreed absently, not really looking at the family as he reached out to take her hand. “Though I may be biased in saying this, but I think our little family is better.”

“And,” he added, squeezing her hand. “I hope, not at the moment but sometime in the future, it will grow.”

He smiled softly at her. “Because, in my mind, this is our first anniversary with many more to come.”

Charlotte’s laugh washed over him as her eyes twinkled at him. “That is a sentiment I agree with.”

Athos grinned before leaning in to give her a gentle kiss that, though short, held many promises.

* * *

 

“Charlotte!”

Constance exclaimed happily as she ran to give her a sister a hug, barely giving the woman time to put down her suitcase. “How was it, you had a good time didn’t you?”

“Yes, it was wonderful,” Charlotte declared as she returned her sister’s hug. “We went for walks and there was an art gallery that we visited, oh you would have loved the shops we visited!”

“I am glad you had a good time Charlotte, but perhaps you could wait until all the luggage has been moved in?”

Athos suggested in a dry tone as he entered carrying two suitcases, causing Charlotte to immediately begin apologizing and move to help much to her sister’s amusement.

Aramis and Porthos entered at that moment, Aramis carrying Brigitte in her arms who immediately stretched out her arms and began saying “Papa!” over and over.

Athos grinned and hoisted his daughter into his arms, twirling her around and planting kisses all over her which made her giggle. “Hello my dear girl, I’ve missed you so much.”

Aramis cleared his throat and with the cheekiest grin in the history of cheeky grins said:

“So, will there be another little one running around soon?”

Charlotte turned bright red while Athos gave Aramis his best death glare, turning to Charlotte and saying in an oddly calm voice, “Would you mind taking Brigitte?”

Aramis’s eyes widened in realization and he only had a one-minute headstart as Athos handed Brigitte over to her mother before running after Aramis as he hurried up the stairs with a yelp.

Porthos was roaring with laughter while Constance had an expression of resignation that spoke volumes as to how much she was used to these antics.

Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh, glancing down at Brigitte with a soft smile as she whispered, “We’re a weird family, aren’t we?”

Brigitte didn’t give a reply, of course, but Charlotte felt that was a rather accurate term to describe their odd little clan and, Charlotte thought as she distantly heard the sounds of Athos and Aramis getting into a scuffle, it was absolutely perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, lots of fluff and humor! Hope you enjoyed.
> 
> Next chapter is a bit more angsty as the anniversary of Charlotte and Constance's mother approaches.


End file.
